The Hubble Space Telescope is fifteen years old today. Like most teenagers, it's getting a bit stroppy - mostly as various components wear out, particularly the gyroscopes. In the wake of the Columbia disaster, NASA abandoned plans for another servicing mission to the 'scope, so there's every likelihood that its remaining lifespan is short - perhaps another couple of years or so.
I find this a real shame. The science achieved using the HST has been outstanding, but better yet has been the imagery - just look at how many beautiful images have been photographed with it.