N° 57–1995: Press briefing: Science with the Hubble Space Telescope

From 4 to 9 December 1995, about three hundred scientists from around the world will gather for a conference in Paris to present and discuss the most exciting discoveries that they are making in observing planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies and distant quasars with the unprecedented clear focus of the Hubble Space Telescope. A special session of the conference (Saturday 9 December) has been arranged to discuss ways for bringing these new results into the classroom and to the general public.

At the start of the conference, some of the most distinguished participants will present to the media their views on the impact that this new data is having on our understanding of the universe. A press release concerning the discovery of a new black hole in a galaxy will be distributed and commented on by the author. Photographic material and narrative description will be included in the press kit that will be distributed. Media representatives are invited to attend the press briefing on Monday 4 December at ESA Headquarters (programme attached), and are kindly requested to fill in and return the attached registration form preferably by fax to the Public Relations Division (Fax. +33 1 53 69 76 90).

Later that same day, at 19:00 hours, in Room XII at UNESCO (7 place de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris), Professor Roger Bonnet, the Director of the ESA Science Programme and Dr. Duccio Macchetto, Associate Director for scientific programs at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, will present an overview of ESA's science programmes and the exciting results obtained by the Hubble Space Telescope. This public event is free and no pre- registration is needed in order to attend.. (*) a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA.

Science with the Hubble Space Telescope
Press Briefing

Monday 4 December 1995
09:45 - 13:00 hrs
European Space Agency Headquarters
8-10 rue Mario Nikis
Paris
Room A

09:45 hrs
Arrival.

10:00- 10:15 hrs Overview, European Space Agency science programme. Prof. Roger Bonnet, ESA science programmes director.

10:15- 10:30 hrs Overview, Hubble Space Telescope Program. Dr. John Campbell, Director of Flight Projects, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

10:40- 11:00 hrs
The age of the universe.
Prof. Gustav Tamman, Institute of Astronomy, University of Basel, Switzerland.

11:00- 11:20 hrs
Distant galaxies and quasars.
Prof. Malcolm Longhair, Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Cambridge, England.

Supernovae.
Prof. Robert Kirshner, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachussets.

Special press announcement.
A black hole in Galaxy NGC 4261.
Prof. Holland Ford, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.