In a monumental shift for astronomical research, the Gaia space telescope, which has redefined our understanding of the Milky Way, has officially been powered down and placed into a "retirement orbit" around the sun as confirmed by the European Space Agency (ESA) this Thursday.

Launched in 2013, Gaia embarked on an ambitious mission to catalog the positions, movements, and characteristics of nearly two billion stars, dramatically expanding our cosmic map. Throughout its ten-year tenure, Gaia has unveiled fascinating insights, such as evidence of colossal galaxies colliding, vast stellar clusters, and even the discovery of new exoplanets. Remarkably, it has also charted millions of galaxies and enigmatic objects, including blazing quasars.

A testament to its far-reaching capabilities, Gaia identified over 50 dwarf galaxies orbiting our own Milky Way galaxy, meticulously tracked 150,000 asteroids, and even pinpointed at least 33 black holes lurking in our cosmic backyard. Gaia operated from the second Lagrange point—a stable point in space approximately 1.5 million kilometers (932,000 miles) from Earth—far away from earthly distractions.

However, with the recent deployment of advanced telescopes like the James Webb and Euclid, competition for observation space has intensified. To prevent potential interference with these state-of-the-art instruments, ESA engineers commanded Gaia’s engines for a final maneuver, positioning the telescope safely into a distant orbit around the sun. This "retirement orbit" ensures that Gaia will remain a stellar 10 million kilometers away from Earth for the next century.

But don’t count Gaia out just yet! While the telescope may now rest in silence, its legacy continues to unfold. Scientists are diligently analyzing the immense wealth of data Gaia has transmitted back, with the fourth stellar catalog set for release in 2026. This catalog will encompass over a decade of observations, with a final comprehensive catalog expected by 2030.

Scientists are thrilled at the prospect of new findings that could emerge from Gaia's extensive observations, suggesting that even in its retirement, Gaia will remain a cornerstone of astronomical research and discovery for years, if not decades, to come.

Stay tuned as we uncover the latest revelations from Gaia’s mission that could reshape our understanding of the universe! Will we learn even more about dark matter and the structure of our galaxy? Only time will tell!