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Analysis of the azimuthal anisotropy resulting from non-central nuclear collisions is one of the most informative directions in studying the nature and properties of matter created in high-energy nuclear collisions. The origin of anisotropies in the particle momentum distributions lies in the initial asymmetries in the geometry of the system. Because the spatial asymmetries rapidly decrease with time, anisotropic flow can develop only in the first fm/c. Based on this, one can conclude that anisotropic flow must be sensitive to the particle interactions very early in the system evolution, information usually available only via weakly interacting probes. In this sense, anisotropic flow is a unique hadronic observable providing direct information about the stage where the QGP is the main player. We will learn about flow observables, ways to measure them and interpret a few results. |