What fundamental scientific operation does astronomy rely on instead of repeatable lab experimentation?
Answer
Observation
Astronomy is fundamentally distinguished from many laboratory sciences because its core function relies not on direct, repeatable experimentation within controlled lab settings, but rather on extensive observation of celestial objects, space, and the universe as a whole. While it employs mathematical analysis and observational testing heavily, the inability to manipulate variables for distant objects necessitates this reliance on gathering data from phenomena occurring light-years away, such as measuring the light profile of a distant supernova rather than creating one on Earth.
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