Astronomers will announce their discovery of unexpected galaxies
at a listen-and-log on news briefing Tuesday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m. EST.
The findings, from NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer mission, are
reshaping theories of galaxy formation, and may help explain how our
own Milky Way formed.

Reporters should call the Media Relations Office at NASA’s Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., at 818/354-0344, for
participation information. Images and graphics supporting the briefing
will be posted online at the start of the briefing at:

www.jpl.nasa.gov/media/galex-122104

Briefing participants:

  • Dr. Zlatan Tsvetanov, program scientist, Galaxy Evolution Explorer, NASA Headquarters, Washington
  • Dr. Tim Heckman, astronomer, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
  • Dr. Chris Martin, principal investigator, Galaxy Evolution Explorer, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif.
  • Dr. Alice Shapley, astronomer, University of California, Berkeley

The Galaxy Evolution Explorer was launched April 28, 2003. Its mission
is to study the shape, brightness, size and distance of galaxies across
10 billion years of cosmic history. The 50-centimeter-diameter (19.7-
inch) telescope on board sweeps the skies in search of ultraviolet
light sources.