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GAIA: An Introduction to the Project

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 September 2002

O. Bienaymé ,
C. Turon  and
M.A.C. Perryman
M.A.C. Perryman*
Affiliation:
Astrophysics Division, Space Science Department of ESA, ESTEC, 2200 AG Noordwijk, The Netherlands
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Abstract

In October 2000, the GAIA astrometric mission wasapproved as one ofthe next two "cornerstones" of ESA's science programme, with a launchdate target of 2010-12. GAIA will provide positional and radialvelocity measurements with the accuracies needed to produce astereoscopic and kinematic census of about one billion starsthroughout our Galaxy (and into the Local Group), amounting to about1 per cent of the Galactic stellar population. GAIA's main scientificgoal is to clarify the origin and history of our Galaxy, from aquantitative census of the stellar populations. It will advancequestions such as when the stars in our Galaxy formed, when and how itwas assembled, and its distribution of dark matter. The survey aimsfor completeness to V=20 mag, with accuracies of 10 μas at15 mag.

Type
Research Article
Information
European Astronomical Society Publications Series , Volume 2: GAIA: A European Space Project , 2002 , pp. 3 - 26
Copyright
© EAS, EDP Sciences, 2002

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