Europe readies satellite that will map 1 billion stars, hunt for new planets
BERLIN – The European Space Agency is preparing to launch a satellite that will produce the most accurate three-dimensional map of our part of the Milky Way.
The agency says its Gaia satellite due to launch Thursday from French Guiana at 6:12 a.m. (0912 GMT; 4:12 a.m. EST) will survey some 1 billion stars in our galactic neighbourhood.
Even that is just a small fraction of the stars in the Milky Way.
Gaia will also use its 1,000-megapixel camera to hunt for planets, asteroids and comets beyond our Solar System.
ESA says scientists are hoping the satellite’s sensitive instruments can be used to test a key part of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity that predicts “dips” and “warps” in space caused by the gravity of stars and planets.
___
http://www.esa.int/gaia
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.