def errorScalingFactor(observable, beta):
  """
  Look up the numerical factors to apply to the sky averaged parallax error in order to obtain error
  values for a given astrometric parameter, taking the Ecliptic latitude and the number of transits into
  account.

  Parameters
  ----------

  observable - Name of astrometric observable (one of: alphaStar, delta, parallax, muAlphaStar, muDelta)
  beta       - Values(s) of the Ecliptic latitude.

  Returns
  -------

  Numerical factors to apply to the errors of the given observable.
  """
  if isscalar(beta):
    index=int(floor(abs(sin(beta))*_numStepsSinBeta))
    if index == _numStepsSinBeta:
      return _astrometricErrorFactors[observable][_numStepsSinBeta-1]
    else:
      return _astrometricErrorFactors[observable][index]
  else:
    indices = array(floor(abs(sin(beta))*_numStepsSinBeta), dtype=int)
    indices[(indices==_numStepsSinBeta)] = _numStepsSinBeta-1
    return _astrometricErrorFactors[observable][indices]
Look up the numerical factors to apply to the sky averaged parallax error in order to obtain error
  values for a given astrometric parameter, taking the Ecliptic latitude and the number of transits into
  account.

  Parameters
  ----------

  observable - Name of astrometric observable (one of: alphaStar, delta, parallax, muAlphaStar, muDelta)
  beta       - Values(s) of the Ecliptic latitude.

  Returns
  -------

  Numerical factors to apply to the errors of the given observable.