redshift

noun

red·shift ˈred-ˈshift

: a displacement of the spectrum of a celestial body toward longer wavelengths that is a consequence of the Doppler effect or the gravitational field of the source

also : a measurement of a celestial body's redshift equal to the ratio of the displacement of a spectral line to its known unshifted wavelength and used especially to calculate the body's distance from earth

redshifted

ˈred-ˈshif-təd

adjective

Examples of redshift in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Euclid, a European telescope that launched last year, will determine galactic redshifts, enabling useful comparisons with JWST findings. —

Rebecca Boyle, Quanta Magazine, 9 Oct. 2024 But the redshift of light that's traveled for billions of years will shift these photons into the infrared area of the spectrum, which is what Webb was designed to detect. —

John Timmer, Ars Technica, 31 July 2024 In this equation, ψ denotes the star formation rate as a function of the redshift z. —

Florian Freistetter, Scientific American, 11 July 2024 Moreover, in the early 20th century astronomers figured out that more distant galaxies have larger redshifts, meaning the universe is expanding. —

Phil Plait, Scientific American, 5 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for redshift