N° 8–2010: Press invitation to the Herschel First Results Media Day
27 April 2010
Media representatives are cordially invited to celebrate the release of the first results from ESA’s Herschel infrared space telescope. The theme of the media day is: Revealing the Hidden Side of Star Formation.
The event will take place at Space Expo, at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), Noordwijk, The Netherlands on 6 May. Doors open at 11:30 am. The media day is organised in connection with the Herschel First Results Symposium at ESTEC.
The media day will concentrate on the unprecedented study of star formation that Herschel is making in our Galaxy and across the Universe. Until now, the initial stages of star birth have largely been shrouded in darkness, obscured by the thick clouds of dust and gas that incubate the youngest stars. Herschel sees through these clouds, revealing the dark side of star formation in unique detail. To highlight these results, new images from across the Universe will be released on the day.
By revealing these formation events, Herschel is showing us what might have happened in our own part of space almost 5 billion years ago, when the Sun, Earth and the other planets of our Solar System began to form.
Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009 and began viewing the sky a month later. Initial observations from the demonstration phase were presented at a workshop on 17-18 December 2009. Then the main scientific observations began.
Also known as ESLAB 2010, The Herschel First Results Symposium is the first major scientific meeting to present Herschel’s results. It will run 4-7 May in the ESTEC Conference Centre. More details of the ESLAB Symposium can be found here [http://www.congrex.nl/10A10/].
Media representatives wishing to attend the event are requested to fill in the attached accreditation form and return it to the ESTEC Communication Office by 3 May.
Herschel First Results Media Day
6 May 2010
Space Expo
ESA ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2200 AG Noordwijk,
The Netherlands
Programme
11:30
Doors open
12:00
Welcome
David Southwood, ESA Director of Science and Robotic Exploration
12:10
Herschel: Dark Side of Star Formation
Annie Zavagno, Laboratoire d’Astrophysique Marseille
12:20
Herschel: Fourth ‘Phase’ of Water
Xander Tielens, Leiden University
12:30
Herschel: Surprising Star Formation in the Nearby Universe
Steve Eales, University of Cardiff
12:40
Questions & Answers
Opportunity for individual interviews
Buffet lunch
13:40
End of programme
Herschel First Results Media Day
6 May 2010
Space Expo
ESA ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, 2200 AG Noordwijk,
The Netherlands
First Name:___________________________________
Last Name: ___________________________________
Media: _______________________________________
Phone number: ________________________________
Email: _______________________________________
( ) I will attend the media day
Please return by email to:
Anne-Mareike Homfeld
ESA ESTEC Communication Office
Communication Department
Email: anne-mareike.homfeld @ esa.int
For further information:
ESA Media Relations Office
Tel: +33.(0)1.5369.7299
Fax: +33.(0)1.5369.7690