The Hubble relation between distance and redshift is a purely cosmographic
relation that depends only on the symmetries of a FLRW spacetime, but does not
intrinsically make any dynamical assumptions. This suggests that it should be
possible to estimate the parameters defining the Hubble relation without making
any dynamical assumptions. To test this idea, we perform a number of
inter-related cosmographic fits to the legacy05 and gold06 supernova datasets,
paying careful attention to the systematic uncertainties. Based on this
supernova data, the "preponderance of evidence" certainly suggests an
accelerating universe. However we would argue that (unless one uses additional
dynamical and observational information, and makes additional theoretical
assumptions) this conclusion is not currently supported "beyond reasonable
doubt". As part of the analysis we develop two particularly transparent
graphical representations of the redshift-distance relation -- representations
in which acceleration versus deceleration reduces to the question of whether
the relevant graph slopes up or down.Comment: 14 pages. To appear in the Proceedings of DARK 2009 -- The Seventh
International Heidelberg Conference on Dark Matter in Astro and Particle
Physics, Christchurch, New Zealand, January 200