Astrophysics faces methodological challenges as a result of being a predominantly observation-based science without access to traditional experiments. In light of these challenges, astrophysicists frequently rely on computer simulations. Using collisional ring galaxies as a case study, I argue that computer simulations play three roles in reasoning in astrophysics: (1) hypothesis testing, (2) exploring possibility space, and (3) amplifying observations.

中文翻译：

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天体物理学中的观察、模拟和推理

由于天体物理学是一门主要基于观测的科学，无法进行传统实验，因此面临方法论上的挑战。鉴于这些挑战，天体物理学家经常依赖计算机模拟。以碰撞环星系为例，我认为计算机模拟在天体物理学的推理中扮演着三个角色：(1) 假设检验，(2) 探索可能性空间，以及 (3) 放大观察。