From its orbit high above the Earth, it has been peering deep into the darkest corners of space for three decades. It has sent back data that has helped unravel many a scientific mystery, as well as countless mind-blowing images of planets, stars and galaxies.
The Hubble Space Telescope, which celebrates its 30th anniversary on Friday (April 24), has opened "our eyes to the wonders of our ‘planetary’ backyard and beyond", in the words of the European Space Agency.