  The second Gaia data release (DR2) is scheduled for April 2018. While Gaia
DR1 had increased the number of stars with parallaxes by a factor 20 with
respect to the Hipparcos catalogue, Gaia DR2 will bring another factor 500
increase, with parallaxes (and proper motions) for more than a billion stars.
In addition, Gaia DR2 will deliver improved accuracy and precision for the
astrometric and photometric data, $G$, $G_\mathrm{BP}$, $G_\mathrm{RP}$
magnitudes, radial velocities, identification and characterisation of variable
stars and asteroids as well as stellar parameters for stars down to $G = 17$
mag. On behalf of the teams of the Gaia-DPAC consortium, these proceedings give
a foretaste of Gaia DR2, 6 months before the release.
