GAIA - 1 billion stars and counting

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the GAIA telescope's mapping of stars in the Milky Way, focusing on the implications of the data collected, potential applications for visualization, and comparisons with existing mapping tools. Participants explore the quality and quantity of the data, as well as the future potential of GAIA's findings.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that GAIA has mapped over 1 billion stars and is creating a detailed 3D map of the Milky Way, suggesting possible changes in our understanding of its shape.
  • There is interest in developing a program that allows users to navigate through the galaxy in 3D, similar to Google Maps.
  • A visualization tool called Gaia Sky is being developed as an open-source project, with a WebGL version available for browser use.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the current capabilities of Gaia Sky compared to established software like Celestia, especially given that GAIA's first data release is only a preview.
  • Participants inquire about links to browser-based VR tools and discuss the potential for mapping the entire galaxy to understand cosmic structure.
  • There are mentions of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which has produced significant maps of distant cosmic structures, providing a broader context for GAIA's work.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the impressive nature of GAIA's mapping efforts and the potential for visualization tools, but there are differing views on the current utility of the data and tools available, with some expressing caution regarding their completeness and effectiveness.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight that GAIA's first data release is limited and does not include all expected parallax data, which may affect the current mapping capabilities. There is also a recognition that the full potential of GAIA's data will not be realized until future releases are made available.

Borg
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The GAIA telescope has been mapping stars in the Milky Way with unprecedented quality and quantities. It has been assembling the most detailed 3D map ever made of our Milky Way galaxy and has currently mapped over 1 billion stars. There are already hints that the Milky Way may be shaped differently from what we thought.

Gaia's billion-star map hints at treasures to come

Gaia_GDR1_Sky_Map_annotated_signature_625.jpg
The data from Gaia's first release can be accessed at http://archives.esac.esa.int/gaia
 
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Borg said:
The GAIA telescope has been mapping stars in the Milky Way with unprecedented quality and quantities. It has been assembling the most detailed 3D map ever made of our Milky Way galaxy and has currently mapped over 1 billion stars. There are already hints that the Milky Way may be shaped differently from what we thought.

Gaia's billion-star map hints at treasures to come

The data from Gaia's first release can be accessed at http://archives.esac.esa.int/gaia
yup, this is pretty impressive :)Dave
 
Would it be possible to develop a program from this data where you could move through the galaxy in 3D or like Google Maps?
 
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Greg Bernhardt said:
Would it be possible to develop a program from this data where you could move through the galaxy in 3D or like Google Maps?
My thoughts as well. Unfortunately, I'm much too busy at work or I would. :smile:
 
Where is the "you are here" sign?...lol

Joking aside, it is a cool map and a fascinating project.

Cheers,

Billy
 
AFAIU Gaia DR1 is just a 'preview' after only 14 month of operation out of five years. It does not include much more then the Hipparcos catalog - at least regarding parallax data and a few bright stars are not there yet. So right now Gaia Sky is probably not better then the mature and well established Celestia software... which will certainly incorporate the final data release when it will be available in a few years.

Note that there is a WebGL version of Gaia Sky that can run right off the net into a browser window - when it doesn't crash.
 
would you happen to have the link to the browser based vr.?
also could we do the same for whole galaxy to get a good sense of the out would shape of the cosmos?


i also wanted to thank you for the post very much:wideeyed::partytime:
 
hsdrop said:
would you happen to have the link to the browser based vr.?
also could we do the same for whole galaxy to get a good sense of the out would shape of the cosmos?

Gaia Sky WebGL:
http://wwwstaff.ari.uni-heidelberg.de/gaiasandbox/webgl

At a larger scale we have the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that has mapped distant objects and produced some remarkable maps showing 'sponge' like structures:
http://www.sdss.org

 
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patmurris said:
Gaia Sky WebGL:
http://wwwstaff.ari.uni-heidelberg.de/gaiasandbox/webgl

At a larger scale we have the Sloan Digital Sky Survey that has mapped distant objects and produced some remarkable maps showing 'sponge' like structures:
http://www.sdss.org


thank you so very much for the links
 

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