This morning, July 25, 2024, at 00:30 CEST, the Gaia satellite reached a historic milestone by completing 10 Julian years of uninterrupted and successful science operations. This anniversary marks a decade of astronomical achievements, exceeding the most optimistic expectations. Since its launch, Gaia has collected more than 2.5 billion astrometric data, more than half a billion photometric data, and nearly fifty billion spectroscopic measurements.      

The Institute for Cosmos Sciences has been a key participant in the Gaia mission since its inception, contributing both on the theoretical side and in the exploitation of scientific data. This collaborative work has been essential to the continued success of the mission and has enabled significant advances in our understanding of our Galaxy, the Milky Way.    

The European Space Agency (ESA) has highlighted “10 SCIENTIFIC TOPICS TO CELEBRATE 10 YEARS OF GAIA IN SPACE” as an example of the groundbreaking discoveries facilitated by Gaia. These achievements not only represent a scientific breakthrough, but also reflect the dedication and effort of the team involved.    

We encourage you all to join in this celebration of discovery and cutting-edge science.

Happy summer and keep exploring the cosmos!