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Today in History: Gaia Launches to Build Largest Star Catalogue Ever

12/19/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On December 19, 2013, the European Space Agency launched the Gaia spacecraft, aiming to create the most extensive and accurate star catalogue in history. Designed for astrometry, Gaia measures the positions and motions of approximately one billion astronomical objects, including stars and exoplanets, revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos.

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Story summary

On December 19, 2013, the European Space Agency launched the Gaia spacecraft, aiming to create the most extensive and accurate star catalogue in history. Designed for astrometry, Gaia measures the positions and motions of approximately one billion astronomical objects, including stars and exoplanets, revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos.