After hyperlinks deleted from text, extra spaces before and after

[asterizk]

Extra spacebar remains after hyperlinks deleted from apod image description text.

Expected results: no extra spacebar characters around deleted links
Observed results: spacebars (see attached image, last sentence of description --> "...involving lightning storm s...")

Compare https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210511.html and:

Same thing happens with "( Gemini )" here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210510.html