The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Milky Way-mapper Gaia has completed the sky-scanning phase of its mission, collecting over 3 trillion observations of 2 billion stars and other objects since its launch in 2013. The spacecraft’s fuel tank is now nearly empty, but the mission is far from over.
Gaia will undergo technology tests before being moved to its “retirement” orbit, where it will continue to transmit data until 2026. Two massive data releases are planned for this year and next decade, which will provide unprecedented insights into the origin and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy.
The mission has far exceeded expectations, delivering a precise map of the galaxy that will enable scientists to study its history and make predictions about its future. Gaia’s data has already revealed new information about the Milky Way’s structure, including the presence of “ghosts” of other galaxies and multiple streams of ancient stars.
As the spacecraft prepares for retirement, amateur astronomers are invited to observe it during a period of increased brightness before it is passivated in March 2025. The ESA team is working tirelessly to analyze the data and prepare it for release, which will enable new discoveries and further our understanding of the universe.
Source: https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/last-starlight-for-ground-breaking-gaia