Observational astronomy

Observational astronomy is a division of astronomy that is concerned with recording data about the observable universe, the practice and study of observing celestial objects with the use of telescopes and other astronomical instruments.

As a science, the study of astronomy does not rely on direct experiments with the objects in a distant universe. Rather astronomers have a vast number of visible examples of stellar phenomena that can be examined. This allows for observational data to be plotted on graphs, and general trends recorded. Nearby examples of specific phenomena, such as variable stars, can then be used to infer the behavior of more distant representatives. Those distant yardsticks can then be employed to measure other phenomena in that neighborhood, including the distance to a galaxy.

Galileo Galilei turned a telescope to the heavens and recorded what he saw. Since that time, observational astronomy has made steady advances with each improvement in telescope technology.

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