redshift

Or red shift

[red-shift]

noun

Astronomy.

1. a shift toward longer wavelengths of the spectral lines emitted by a celestial object that is caused by the object moving away from the earth.

redshift

/ ˈredˌʃɪft /

noun

1. Compare: blueshift. a shift in the lines of the spectrum of an astronomical object towards a longer wavelength (the red end of an optical spectrum), relative to the wavelength of these lines in the terrestrial spectrum, usually as a result of the Doppler effect caused by the recession of the object

Word History and Origins

Origin of redshift¹

First recorded in 1920–25; red ¹ + shift

Example Sentences

Astronomers call a shift to longer wavelengths a redshift.

From Salon

This corresponds to a redshift of about 14, which is a measure of how much a galaxy's light is stretched by the expansion of the universe.

From Science Daily

The researcher analyzed data from recent papers on the distribution of galaxies at low redshifts and the angular size of the sound horizon in the literature at high redshift.

From Science Daily

The quasar the researchers observed, J2054-0005, has a very high redshift -- it and the Earth are apparently moving away from each other very fast.

From Science Daily

Keck Observatory on Hawaii's Mauna Kea, they could detect slight variations in stellar motion via the redshift and blueshift of the Doppler effect -- which helped them determine planetary mass readings of unprecedented precision.

From Science Daily