diff --git a/astroquery/gaia/core.py b/astroquery/gaia/core.py
index 8f9a3597a7..3726d82483 100644
--- a/astroquery/gaia/core.py
+++ b/astroquery/gaia/core.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 import shutil
 from collections.abc import Iterable
+from textwrap import dedent
 
 from astropy import units
 from astropy.coordinates import Angle
@@ -397,44 +398,33 @@ def __query_object(self, coordinate, *, radius=None, width=None, height=None,
         else:
             raHours, dec = commons.coord_to_radec(coord)
             ra = raHours * 15.0  # Converts to degrees
-            widthQuantity = self.__getQuantityInput(width, "width")
-            heightQuantity = self.__getQuantityInput(height, "height")
-            widthDeg = widthQuantity.to(units.deg)
-            heightDeg = heightQuantity.to(units.deg)
 
-            if columns:
-                columns = ','.join(map(str, columns))
-            else:
-                columns = "*"
-
-            query = """
-                    SELECT
-                      {row_limit}
-                      DISTANCE(
-                        POINT('ICRS', {ra_column}, {dec_column}),
-                        POINT('ICRS', {ra}, {dec})
-                      ) as dist,
-                      {columns}
-                    FROM
-                      {table_name}
-                    WHERE
-                      1 = CONTAINS(
-                        POINT('ICRS', {ra_column}, {dec_column}),
-                        BOX(
-                          'ICRS',
-                          {ra},
-                          {dec},
-                          {width},
-                          {height}
-                        )
-                      )
-                    ORDER BY
-                      dist ASC
-                    """.format(**{'row_limit': "TOP {0}".format(self.ROW_LIMIT) if self.ROW_LIMIT > 0 else "",
-                                  'ra_column': self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE_RA, 'dec_column': self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE_DEC,
-                                  'columns': columns, 'table_name': self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE or conf.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE,
-                                  'ra': ra, 'dec': dec,
-                                  'width': widthDeg.value, 'height': heightDeg.value})
+            query = dedent(
+                f"""\
+                SELECT
+                  {f"TOP {self.ROW_LIMIT}" if self.ROW_LIMIT > 0 else ""}
+                  DISTANCE(
+                    POINT('ICRS', {self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE_RA}, {self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE_DEC}),
+                    POINT('ICRS', {ra}, {dec})
+                  ) as dist,
+                  {",".join(columns) or "*"}
+                FROM
+                  {self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE or conf.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE}
+                WHERE
+                  1 = CONTAINS(
+                    POINT('ICRS', {self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE_RA}, {self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE_DEC}),
+                    BOX(
+                      'ICRS',
+                      {ra},
+                      {dec},
+                      {self.__getQuantityInput(width, "width").to_value(u.deg)},
+                      {self.__getQuantityInput(height, "height").to_value(u.deg)}
+                    )
+                  )
+                ORDER BY
+                  dist ASC\
+                """
+            )
             if async_job:
                 job = self.launch_job_async(query, verbose=verbose)
             else:
@@ -548,34 +538,26 @@ def __cone_search(self, coordinate, radius, *, table_name=None,
         if radius is not None:
             radiusDeg = Angle(self.__getQuantityInput(radius, "radius")).to_value(u.deg)
 
-        if columns:
-            columns = ','.join(map(str, columns))
-        else:
-            columns = "*"
-
-        query = """
-                SELECT
-                  {row_limit}
-                  {columns},
-                  DISTANCE(
-                    POINT('ICRS', {ra_column}, {dec_column}),
-                    POINT('ICRS', {ra}, {dec})
-                  ) AS dist
-                FROM
-                  {table_name}
-                WHERE
-                  1 = CONTAINS(
-                    POINT('ICRS', {ra_column}, {dec_column}),
-                    CIRCLE('ICRS', {ra}, {dec}, {radius})
-                  )
-                ORDER BY
-                  dist ASC
-                """.format(**{'ra_column': ra_column_name,
-                              'row_limit': "TOP {0}".format(self.ROW_LIMIT) if self.ROW_LIMIT > 0 else "",
-                              'dec_column': dec_column_name, 'columns': columns, 'ra': ra, 'dec': dec,
-                              'radius': radiusDeg,
-                              'table_name': table_name or self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE or conf.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE})
-
+        query = dedent(
+            f"""\
+            SELECT
+              {f"TOP {self.ROW_LIMIT}" if self.ROW_LIMIT > 0 else ""}
+              {",".join(columns) or "*"},
+              DISTANCE(
+                POINT('ICRS', {ra_column_name}, {dec_column_name}),
+                POINT('ICRS', {ra}, {dec})
+              ) AS dist
+            FROM
+              {table_name or self.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE or conf.MAIN_GAIA_TABLE}
+            WHERE
+              1 = CONTAINS(
+                POINT('ICRS', {ra_column_name}, {dec_column_name}),
+                CIRCLE('ICRS', {ra}, {dec}, {radiusDeg})
+              )
+            ORDER BY
+              dist ASC\
+            """
+        )
         if async_job:
             return self.launch_job_async(query=query,
                                          output_file=output_file,