Contact:

Don Savage
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1727)

Nancy Neal
Goddard Space Flight Center, Md.
(Phone: 301/286-0039)

Sept. 16, 2004 - NOTE TO EDITORS: n04-149

NASA ANNOUNCES VIRTUAL NEWS BRIEFING

NASA is sponsoring a Web-based and telephone news media conference on
Thursday, September 23, at 1 p.m. EDT.

Scientists will describe a cosmic hurricane, as two merging galaxy clusters churn
high-pressure shock waves leaving thousands of galaxies strewn in the wake. The
European Space Agency XMM-Newton observatory observed the event, which captures
the essence of how the universe built its hierarchal structure.

Briefing participants:

-- Dr. Michael Salamon, Discipline Scientist, Universe Division, Science Mission
Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington

-- Dr. J. Patrick Henry, Professor of Astronomy, Institute for Astronomy,
University of Hawaii, Honolulu

-- Dr. August Evrard, Professor of Physics and Astronomy, University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor, Mich.

-- Dr. Richard Mushotzky, U.S. Project Scientist for XMM-Newton, NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

This Web-based news conference is only for news media reporters. Accompanying
graphics and images will be available on the Web. Participants will answer news
media questions at the end of the briefing.

TELECON DIAL-IN NUMBERS:

U.S. Toll Free Number: 1/888/566-6137
U.S. Toll Number: 1/312/470-7160
Passcode: CLUSTER MERGE

Briefing Web site: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topost/2004/galaxycluster2.html

A video file supporting this press conference will be uplinked on NASA TV at 3
and 6 p.m. EDT. NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite in the
continental U.S. on AMC-6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, at 72 degrees west longitude.
The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at
6.80 MHz. In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA TV is available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C,
C-Band, at 137 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization
is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.

For NASA TV information and schedules on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv