Philosophy of science
Measurement Uncertainty
Every astronomical measurement carries an uncertainty — statistical scatter and systematic error — and understanding it is inseparable from the result. A number without its error bar is not yet a measurement, and disputes in astronomy are often disputes about uncertainty.
Highlights
- ›A number without an error bar is not a measurement
Astronomers, eras & methods
Across the history of discovery
Knowledge connections
- Associated withThe Nature of Evidence
- Associated withError Analysis & Calibration
- Associated withThe Nature of Evidence
- Associated withThe Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.