Accessibility
· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.DLandmark StructureAction5 landmarksFIX
Screen reader users cannot quickly navigate to the primary content. Wrap your main content in <main>.
Without a <main> landmark, screen-reader users can't skip past the navigation to the page content — every page starts with re-reading the menu.
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The <main> element marks the page's primary content area. Assistive tech offers a 'jump to main' shortcut — but only if <main> exists. Without it, every page navigation forces re-reading the header. Wrap your primary content in a single <main>.
Source: WAI-ARIA / WCAG 2.4.1
Multiple navigations need aria-label to distinguish them for screen readers.
Some <nav> elements lack aria-label — screen-reader users hear 'navigation' multiple times with no way to distinguish them.
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When a page has multiple <nav> regions (primary, footer, breadcrumb), each needs aria-label or aria-labelledby. AT users navigate by landmark; identical 'navigation' announcements force them to enter each one to discover purpose.
Source: WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices
Add a skip link as the first focusable element so keyboard users can bypass repeated navigation.
Without a skip-nav link, keyboard users tab through every nav item before reaching content — every page, every visit.
Learn more ▾ ▴
WCAG 2.4.1 (Bypass Blocks) requires a mechanism to skip past repeated content. The standard implementation is a 'Skip to main content' link that's the first focusable element, visually hidden until focused. Three lines of HTML + four of CSS.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.1
FHeading HierarchyAction37 headings, 6 skip(s)FIX
- H3 Sign Up for Our Amazing Newsletter!
- H6 Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May skipped
- H6 The Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight. Don’t miss it!
- H6 Meteor showers are here! 10 easy tips for watching
- H2 Lights out for birds during spring migration!
- H5 Black hole Cygnus X-1 has fast, powerful dancing jets skipped
- H5 Summer solstice in Mars’ southern hemisphere is April 25
- H3 Happy Earth Day! Why do we celebrate it on April 22?
- H3 Earth images from space: 10 incredible photos of our planet
- H3 Sun news: Sun-stuff could reach Earth this week
- H3 Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May
- H3 A pileus cloud means bad weather is on the way
- H3 The Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight. Don’t miss it!
- H3 Meteor showers are here! 10 easy tips for watching
- H3 Meet M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
- H4 Follow on Bluesky
- H3 Subscribe now! A daily update with Science news, great photos, sky alerts.
- H3 Space
- H5 Black hole Cygnus X-1 has fast, powerful dancing jets skipped
- H5 Summer solstice in Mars’ southern hemisphere is April 25
- H5 Earth images from space: 10 incredible photos of our planet
- H5 Can we find alien life in groups of similar planets?
- H3 Astronomy Essentials
- H5 Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May skipped
- H5 The Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight. Don’t miss it!
- H5 Meteor showers are here! 10 easy tips for watching
- H5 Meet M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
- H3 Earth
- H5 Lights out for birds during spring migration! skipped
- H5 Happy Earth Day! Why do we celebrate it on April 22?
- H5 A pileus cloud means bad weather is on the way
- H5 Small ants clean larger ants in a surprising twist of nature
- H3 Human World
- H5 Happy Earth Day! Why do we celebrate it on April 22? skipped
- H5 International Dark Sky Week is April 13 to 20
- H5 Native Americans played dice more than 12,000 years ago
- H5 Pareidolia is seeing things like faces in random objects
Every page should have one H1 that describes the page content.
No H1 means screen-reader users can't identify the page's primary topic, and Google's content-extraction degrades.
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The H1 is the document title for assistive tech and a strong signal to search engines about page topic. Pages without one force screen readers to fall back to the <title> attribute or page chrome. Add a single H1 that names the page's primary subject.
Source: WCAG 2.4.6 / Google Search Central
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
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Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline. Screen readers may interpret missing levels as structural errors.
Skipping heading levels breaks the document outline — screen-reader users lose track of section nesting.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Screen reader users navigate by jumping between headings (H1 → H2 → H3). Skipping (H1 → H3) breaks the sense of hierarchy. Use sequential levels even if you don't like the default styling — restyle with CSS instead. WCAG 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships) treats this as an A failure.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 1.3.1 / W3C WAI
FForm AccessibilityAction7 of 7 controls have issuesFIX
| Control | Type | Label | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Email address) | placeholder only | ||
| #search | search | ( Search...) | placeholder only |
| (Email Address) | placeholder only | ||
| input | submit | (none) | none |
| input | submit | (none) | none |
| input | submit | (none) | none |
| cpro_hp_feedback_field_285191 | text | (none) | none |
Form controls need a <label>, aria-label, or aria-labelledby for screen readers.
<input type="submit">; <input type="submit">; <input type="submit">; <input type="text" name="cpro_hp_feedback_field_285191">
Form controls without labels — assistive tech announces 'edit text' with no context; users can't complete forms.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
<input type="email" name="email" id="EMAIL">; <input type="search" name="s" id="search">; <input type="email" name="email" id="email">
Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman
DWeb ManifestActionNot foundFIX
No web manifest found.
DPrint StylesheetActionNo print stylesFIX
CLink & Button QualityAction17 issue(s) across 143 links and 4 buttonsREVIEW
| Element | Text | Issue | Suggested Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| # | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/privacy-policy/ | Privacy Policy | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://earthsky.org | EarthSky | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthskystore.org/ | Store | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://helpsupportearthsky.org/ | Donate | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://earthsky.org/author/marcy/ | Marcy Curran | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/author/earthsky/ | Editors of EarthSky | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/author/earthskyblog… | EarthSky Voices | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthskystore.org/ | Store | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://helpsupportearthsky.org/ | Donate | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/lights-out-fo… | Earth Light… | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/privacy-policy/ | Privacy Policy | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://earthsky.org/space/ | View All | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/space/black-hole-cy… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/space/summer-solsti… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/todays-image/earth-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/space/suspiciously-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essential… | View All | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essential… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essential… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essential… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-ga… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/ | View All | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/lights-out-fo… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/this-date-in-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/pileus-cloud-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/small-ants-cl… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/human-world/ | View All | img no alt | Add alt attribute to the image |
| https://earthsky.org/earth/this-date-in-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essential… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/human-world/native-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://earthsky.org/human-world/seeing-… | (empty) | empty | Add link text or aria-label |
| https://www.youtube.com/@earthsky | YouTube | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://twitter.com/earthskyscience | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text | |
| https://www.facebook.com/EarthSky/ | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text | |
| https://www.instagram.com/earthskyscienc… | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text | |
| https://earthskystore.org/ | Store | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://helpsupportearthsky.org/ | Donate | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://earthsky.org | Earthsky Communications Inc. | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
| https://milkyway.co | Milkyway.co | new tab | Add '(opens in new tab)' to text |
Links without text are announced as raw URLs by screen readers.
#; https://earthsky.org/space/black-hole-cygnus-x-1-dancing-jets/; https://earthsky.org/space/summer-solstice-in-mars-southern-hemisphere/; https://earthsky.org/todays-image/earth-images-from-space/; https://earthsky.org/space/suspiciously-similar-planets-sign-of-alien-life/; https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupite…; https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-lyrid-m…; https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/meteor-showers-tips-for-watching/; https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/m13-finest-globular-cluster-in…; https://earthsky.org/earth/lights-out-for-birds-spring-and-fall-migration/ (+7 more)
Links with no accessible text (empty <a></a>, image-only no alt, icon-only no aria-label) are unidentifiable to screen readers.
Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 2.4.4
Add '(opens in new tab)' to link text or aria-label.
https://earthsky.org/privacy-policy/; https://earthskystore.org/; https://helpsupportearthsky.org/; https://earthskystore.org/; https://helpsupportearthsky.org/; https://earthsky.org/privacy-policy/; https://www.youtube.com/@earthsky; https://twitter.com/earthskyscience; https://www.facebook.com/EarthSky/; https://www.instagram.com/earthskyscience/ (+4 more)
Links with target="_blank" without rel="noopener" leak the originating page's window context — security and UX issue.
Learn more ▾ ▴
Without rel="noopener", the new tab can navigate the original tab via window.opener (tab-nabbing attack). Modern browsers default to noopener for target=_blank but only since recent versions. Always set rel="noopener noreferrer" explicitly.
Source: MDN target / OWASP
C404 Error PageActionHTTP 404, custom pageREVIEW
CFavicon & BrandingAction3 icon(s) detectedREVIEW
BDark Mode SupportDark mode detectedREVIEW
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.
CColor Contrast (Screenshot)Action20 text elements analyzed, 6 fail WCAG AAREVIEW
Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.
Show all checked elements (20)
| Element | Ratio | Required | FG | BG | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| h2 Lights out for birds… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Sign Up for Our Amaz… | 2.86:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #555658 | Fail |
| h3 Happy Earth Day! Why… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Earth images from sp… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Sun news: Sun-stuff … | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Visible planets and … | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 A pileus cloud means… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 The Lyrid meteor sho… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Meteor showers are h… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Meet M13, the Great … | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Subscribe now! A dai… | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Space | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Astronomy Essentials | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Earth | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| h3 Human World | 3.24:1 | 3.0:1 | #000000 | #5E5E5E | Pass |
| title EarthSky | Updates o… | 2.63:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #4F5153 | Fail |
| p A daily update by em… | 3.66:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #666666 | Fail |
| div Your email address w… | 3.66:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #666666 | Fail |
| a Privacy Policy | 3.66:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #666666 | Fail |
| div Thank you! Your subm… | 3.66:1 | 4.5:1 | #000000 | #666666 | Fail |
Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
BLighthouse Accessibility AuditsScore 88/100 — 4 failing, 26 passedREVIEW
Accessibility
These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.
Contrast
Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
Accept All div.cmpboxbtns > span#cmpwelcomebtnyes > a.cmpboxbtn > span#cmpbntyestxt |
Earth div.full-height > a.post-card-v2-max > div.post-card-content > div.badge |
Space div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small > div.badge |
These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.
Navigation
Properly ordered headings that do not skip levels convey the semantic structure of the page, making it easier to navigate and understand when using assistive technologies. Learn more about heading order.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
Black hole Cygnus X-1 has fast, powerful dancing jets div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.post-heading-link > h5.post-heading-small |
Black hole Cygnus X-1 has fast, powerful dancing jets div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.post-heading-link > h5.post-heading-small |
Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.post-heading-link > h5.post-heading-small |
Lights out for birds during spring migration! div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.post-heading-link > h5.post-heading-small |
Happy Earth Day! Why do we celebrate it on April 22? div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.post-heading-link > h5.post-heading-small |
These are opportunities to improve keyboard navigation in your application.
Names and labels
Labels ensure that form controls are announced properly by assistive technologies, like screen readers. Learn more about form element labels.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
div.cp-popup-wrapper > div.cp-popup > div.cp-popup-content > input.cpro-hp-field div.cp-popup-wrapper > div.cp-popup > div.cp-popup-content > input.cpro-hp-field |
Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.
Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.
| Failing Elements |
|---|
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small div.grid-small > div.w-dyn-item > div.post-card > a.thumbnail-small |
div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link |
div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link |
div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link |
div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link |
div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link div.section > div.wrapper > div.connect-2 > a.connect-link |
These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.