UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory

Stories

Astronomers detect a 10-sided decagon forming at Saturn's south pole

As of September 2026: Co-authored the decagon study, analyzed the anticyclone

Saturn's north pole has worn a six-sided hexagon for more than 40 years. Now Hubble Space Telescope images show a 10-sided decagon emerging at the planet's south pole — the first large polygonal jet pattern ever seen in that hemisphere.

Updated Sep 6

First radio telescope heads to Moon's far side

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Lead NASA institution and integrator

The cosmic Dark Ages were a 200-million-year stretch after the Big Bang — just hydrogen gas, no stars. No instrument has ever detected light from this period: Earth's atmosphere blocks the radio frequencies, and human electronics drown out the faint signals.

Updated May 23