Trouvelot felt that typical scientific methods of describing celestial objects and events lacked specificity. He advocated for trust in the human eye and hand, emphasizing the limits of photography.

He also found scientific observations lacking in sensitivity to color and form. According to Trouvelot, artists could see a greater variation in color than scientists did. Notice here how Trouvelot articulates the gradual diffusion of light, through a controlled softening of color.