Accidental Astronomy: How Random Discoveries Shape the Science of Space

A top astronomer reveals why his field depends on luck

If you learn about the scientific method, you learn that first we hypothesize about something we've experienced, and then we look for more of it. This works well enough-but what if you are interested in studying a heretofore unknown comet or supernova? That is the essential problem of the astronomer: the most important discoveries happen without notice!¿
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Indeed, as Chris Lintott argues in Accidental Astronomy, luck defines astronomy. ...