Simulation of binary stars: a testbed for Grid computing
Using the computational power and flexibility of the GaiaGrid, a simulation corresponding to five years of Gaia observations of 1000 astrometric binary stars has been successfully completed.
Greek government award to ATHINOGAIA
A Greek program, ATHINOGAIA, which will support the participation of a Greek team in various Gaia working groups has been awarded a grant of 250,000 Euro from the Greek General Secretariat of Research and Technology.
Gaia postdoctoral position at IoA, Cambridge
In the United Kingdom two posts have been created, for a period of three years, to start developing the data processing pipeline software for the photometric and radial velocity data from Gaia.
Report on Gaia Symposium
Between 4-7 October a symposium on the scientific aspects of the Gaia mission was held at the Observatoire de Paris. The meeting covered the current status of the Gaia mission and reviewed recent working group studies.
Gaia Symposium opens at Observatoire de Paris
NWO grant awarded for Gaia photometric analysis study
Recognising the challenge posed by the Gaia data analysis, the Netherlands organisation for scientific research (NWO) has awarded a grant of 364,000 Euro in support of preparations for Gaia photometric data analysis.
Final presentation of the RVS instrument study
The first phase of the RVS instrument design has come to an end with the final presentation of the work performed to date by the RVS Consortium.
Gaia proceeds to Phase B1
Status report for Gaia in 2003 published
Gaia in 2003, a status report prepared by the Gaia Project Scientist, summarises the status of the Gaia project at the end of 2003, describes the progress achieved in 2003, and summarises the major ongoing and planned activities.
Testing the high stability optics bench
Doctoral grant at University of Barcelona
First e2v CCDs for Gaia
Results from Gaia's planet detection tests
Members of the Planetary Systems Working Group have reported the first results of their tests of Gaia's exoplanet detection capabilities, using simulated data matching the results expected from the real mission.
e2v sensors form the largest focal plane CCD mosaic in the world
Who knows how many stars there are?
When more data can mean more fun
ESA to look for the missing link in gravity
European Space Agency to probe asteroid blind spot
In the past five weeks two asteroids have passed close by Earth, at distances of 1.2 and 3 times the distance to the Moon. Another asteroid has recently been shown to have a 1 in 300 chance of colliding with Earth in 2880. Monitoring known asteroids allows astronomers to predict which may collide with Earth. But that is only true for the asteroids we know of. What about those that lie in the asteroid blind spot between the Sun and Earth? The European Space Agency is studying ways in which its missions can assist in monitoring these unseen but potentially hazardous asteroids.
European experts gather to prepare for Gaia
About 100 European scientists are gathering in ESTEC over the nexttwo days to consider plans for the scientific organisation of Gaia - ESA's ambitious mission to help unravel the origin and evolution of our Galaxy. Experts in general relativity, extra-solar planets, and a whole host of other relevant disciplines are coming together to pool their knowledge about how Gaia can best be organised.
ESA scientist gives Goddard's 36th annual John C. Lindsay Memorial Lecture
The 36th annual "John C. Lindsay Memorial Lecture" was delivered by ESA scientist Michael Perryman at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, USA. The lecture, on the "Three Dimensional Structure of our Galaxy", was based on theresults from ESA's Hipparcos mission.