Gaia People

Mario Lattanzi

INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino

Mario G. Lattanzi is a Senior Associate Astronomer at INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino (INAF-OATo), lecturer in fundamental astronomy at the University of Turin, and leader of the AstroGalTech (Astrometry, Galactic-studies and Technology) group at INAF-OATo.

Mario has participated in astrometry missions since the early 1980's when he was closely involved with the Hipparcos mission, in particular working on the development and implementation of the Hipparcos Sphere Reconstruction code in FAST, and as a member of the FAST committee (1989-1996). Since then he has been Instrument Scientist (1989-1995) and consultant (1995-1997) at STScI for the astrometric and photometric calibration and scientific exploitation of the FGS onboard Hubble, and co-PI of the Guide Star Catalog II (1997-2002).

His involvement in Gaia began soon after concept inception, when he was an ESA astronomer at STScI. He has been a member of the Gaia Science Advisory Group (1997-2000), and later of the Gaia Science Team (2001--2005). He has contributed to many aspects of the mission, including the science case, payload studies, and the astrometric model.

Mario is the PI for the Italian participation in DPAC. Within DPAC, he is responsible for the development, implementation and operation of the CU3 Astrometric Verification unit and of the INAF-OATo Data Processing Center; he contributes to the CU3 work package REMAT and to CU4 (astrometric detection and characterization of extrasolar planets). Mario will also be involved with the implementation and use of the GSC II data base as Gaia auxiliary catalogue.

Mario's homepage can be viewed here.

[Published: 16/07/2007]