"Gaia's Precision: Mapping the Milky Way and Predicting Microlensing Events"
The Gaia satellite, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), is creating a highly detailed 3D map of over a billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy and beyond. The recently released data, known as Gaia DR3, provides precise measurements of stellar motions, luminosity, temperature, and composition. Highlights include the mapping of the Omega Centauri globular cluster and the identification of variable stars. The data also helps in understanding interstellar phenomena such as the absorption of light by interstellar matter and the formation of diffuse interstellar bands. Gaia's observations of quasars and asteroids contribute to estimating the age of the universe and improving the accuracy of asteroid orbits. The data analysis pipeline for Gaia DR4, expected in 2025, will incorporate even more data and features.