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Scientific Models in Astronomy

Scientific Models in Astronomy. Patterns: find, explain, predict, and understand. Models. Tools for thought and imagination Verbal, graphical, physical, mechanical, analogical, mathematical Include only most important features (as simple as possible). Scientific Models.

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Scientific Models in Astronomy

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  1. Scientific Models in Astronomy Patterns: find, explain, predict, and understand

  2. Models • Tools for thought and imagination • Verbal, graphical, physical, mechanical, analogical, mathematical • Include only most important features (as simple as possible)

  3. Scientific Models • Explain: Current (and past!) observations • Predict: Future observations • Changeable: To match observations better • Must be able to prove them “wrong” (falsifiable)

  4. Scientific Models • Geometry: Shapes and layout (such as circles, spheres, triangles) • Physics: Motions and interactions of physical objects • Aesthetics: simple and pleasing; coherent; connected • Assumptions: Explicit or implicit; should be fewest necessary

  5. Information (“Facts”) • We observe “data”; need meaning to become information; models make meaning, result in understanding • Different models can result in different facts from the same data (“model dependent”) • Science is the process of finding meaning in nature

  6. Models and Theories • Models can result in basic unification of observations • Models can open up new areas of investigation • Models can reveal connections not seen before • If powerful enough, models can be raised to theories

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