GAIA: The 3D Milky Way Mapper

TL;DR

GAIA is an ESA space mission creating the most detailed 3D map of the Milky Way by surveying 1% of its stars with micro-arcsecond precision, enabling groundbreaking galactic studies.

Contribution

This paper reviews the Gaia mission, its data releases, and the scientific implications, highlighting the unprecedented scale and precision of the survey.

Findings

DR1 data release provided initial scientific insights.

DR2 is highly anticipated for its improved data quality.

The mission significantly advances our understanding of the Milky Way.

Abstract

GAIA (originally the acronym for Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics) is a mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) which will make the largest, most precise three dimensional map of our Galaxy by an unparalleled survey of one per cent of the galaxy's population of 100 billion stars to the precision of micro arcseconds. This article will briefly review Gaia, the data releases and the possible implications of this mission. The reader will be introduced to the DR1 and DR2 data releases and the scientific outcomes of DR1 as a forerunner to the much awaited DR2 of this one-of-a-kind mission.