Using computers is an important part of modern astronomy. Computers aid observational astronomers in many ways. For example, computers guide telescopes, and they control devices that measure the radiation gathered by telescopes. Astronomers also use computers to work out designs for new telescopes and to analyze data collected with telescopes. In addition, computers have a major role in theoretical studies. An astronomer might use a computer to produce a mathematical model of the history of a star from its birth to its death.
Scientific visualization software is used in virtually every branch of science. One use of this software is to develop and test theories. Astronomers, for example, use mathematical models (sets of equations) to develop theories of how groups of stars form galaxies of various shapes. First, an astronomer enters a model of a group of imaginary stars into a computer. The computer then solves the equations--or shows that the model is incorrect. A successful model will predict the shape of the galaxy that the stars would form. To test the theory, the astronomer can observe a real galaxy to see whether it has the predicted shape.
Excerpts from the "Computer" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999