Abstract: One reason to do astrometric campaigns is
to understand the structure, kinematics and evolution of the
Galaxy. Gaia is currently revolutionising the field by demonstrating,
among other things, that mergers have been important for the assembly
of the Galaxy, even in the relatively recent past. VLBI astrometry
campaigns can target specific stellar populations and have the
advantage that they can reach for parts of the Galaxy that are
obscured in the optical. In this talk, I will specifically discuss the
progress with programs that use masers to probe either very young or
very evolved stars. In many aspects there are synergies between the
maser VLBI and Gaia results. The discussion will include prospects for
the future, when VLBI with the SKA can possibly improve the accuracy
of such observations substantially.
|