Berkeley Astronomy

Congratulations to Imke de Pater!

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has honored her by naming an Asteroid in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the study of minor bodies of the Solar System.

Image courtesy: The International Astronomical Union (IAU)

Congratulations to Abigail Lee on being awarded 2025 IAU PhD Prize!

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2025 IAU PhD Prizes. These annual awards recognise outstanding scientific contributions and exceptional doctoral thesis research carried out by early-career astronomers across the globe.

Read full article here: https://www.iau.org/Iau/News/Ann2026/IAU-PhD-Prize-Winners-2025.aspx

Uranus has weird rings. Astronomers now know the source of two of them.

The rings around Uranus have mystified astronomers for almost half a century. Now, thanks to a combination of ground-and space-based telescopic observations, scientists think they’ve worked out where two of these rings came from.

Read the full article here: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/uranus-rings-origin-mu-moon-mab

By Robin George Andrews

Image courtesy of NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Congratulations to Professor Alex Filippenko on being awarded 2026 Gruber Cosmology Prize!

Read full article here: https://news.berkeley.edu/2026/05/19/astrophysicist-alex-filippenko-awarded-gruber-cosmology-prize-for-work-on-supernovae/

Courtesy of Christopher Prentiss Michel

Your summer journey through the stars starts here! 🪐

ASTRON 9 001: Cultural Astronomy

Session A: 5/26 – 7/2 (Online)
Schedule: TU/WE/TH | 11 AM – 12 PM
Class #: 12257

Scan the QR code to grab your spot!🚀

In ‘Project Hail Mary,’ Ryan Gosling encounters aliens. How likely is that?

In a Q&A, UC Berkeley astronomer Gibor Basri reality-checks the recent sci-fi movie and talks about the chances of encountering life elsewhere in the galaxy.

Read the full story here: https://news.berkeley.edu/2026/04/09/in-project-hail-mary-ryan-gosling-encounters-aliens-how-likely-is-that/

In the movie Project Hail Mary, Ryan Gosling plays Ryland Grace, a high school science teacher who is sent into space to save the sun and humanity.

Courtesy of Amazon Studios

Still thinking about that Summer Session course? 🔭

Spend your summer at UC Berkeley exploring ASTRON 9: Cultural Astronomy. From the ruins of Stonehenge and Machu Picchu to modern science fiction and fashion, discover how the stars have shaped human civilization. 🏛️✨

Format: 100% Online (Pre-recorded video lectures + Live Zoom discussions).

Fulfills: Physical Science, L&S Breadth.

Ready to see the cosmos through a cultural lens?

🚀 Join the journey! Scan the QR code in the image and register by 4/27/26.

Explore the structure and evolution of stars, galaxies, and the Universe! 🪐Enroll in UC Berkeley Astronomy 2026 Summer Sessions!

ASTRON 10 001: Introduction to General Astronomy

Session D: 7/6 – 8/14 (In-person)
Schedule: MO/TU/WE/TH | 11 AM - 1 PM
Class #: 12884

Scan the QR code to grab your spot!🚀

Meets Physical Science, L&S Breadth

Intro to coding the cosmos with Python! 🪐Enroll in UC Berkeley Astronomy 2026 Summer Sessions!

ASTRON 9 002: Introduction to Python

Session D: 7/6 – 8/14 (Online)
Schedule: MO/TU/TH | 1 PM - 3:30 PM
Class #: 12961

Scan the QR code to grab your spot!🚀

Meets Physical Science, L&S Breadth

Immerse yourself in astrophysics — from planets to cosmology! 🪐Enroll in UC Berkeley Astronomy 2026 Summer Sessions!

ASTRON 7AB 001: Introduction to Astrophysics: From Planets to Cosmology

Session D: 7/6 – 8/14 (In-person)
Schedule: TU/WE/TH/FR | 10 AM – 12 PM
Discussion #1: WE | 12 PM – 2 PM
Discussion #2: FR | 12 PM – 2 PM

Class #: 13067

Scan the QR code to grab your spot! 🚀