Gaia14aae, discovered by the Gaia Photometric Science Alerts, was featured in an article by Robin McKie, "Why mapping the galaxy will be child’s play", published in the Guardian on 21 November 2015 .
Gaia14aae is a very rare system (see “Gaia satellite and amateur astronomers spot one in a billion star”), consisting of two stars, both of which have used up all their hydrogen fuel. The two stars of Gaia14aae perfectly eclipse each other, when seen from Earth, which allowed scientists to gain important information about the system.
The article highlights the important role played by the amateur astronomers, who carried out some of the follow up observations, and introduces the plans to involve British schoolchildren. Schoolchildren will be able to observe Gaia Photometric Science Alerts stars using a robotic telescope network, and could make a real difference.
Page last updated: 10 July 2016