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Understanding Red Shift in Astronomy

The document discusses how astronomers use spectroscopy to detect the expansion of the universe. Spectral lines from distant stars and galaxies appear shifted to longer, redder wavelengths due to the Doppler effect as the objects are moving away from us. This "red shift" provides direct evidence that the universe is expanding in all directions. By measuring red shifts of distant objects, astronomers can determine how quickly the universe is expanding over time.

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55 views18 pages

Understanding Red Shift in Astronomy

The document discusses how astronomers use spectroscopy to detect the expansion of the universe. Spectral lines from distant stars and galaxies appear shifted to longer, redder wavelengths due to the Doppler effect as the objects are moving away from us. This "red shift" provides direct evidence that the universe is expanding in all directions. By measuring red shifts of distant objects, astronomers can determine how quickly the universe is expanding over time.

Uploaded by

api-32133818
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Red - Shift

Detecting the expanding universe


The Spectrum
• A spectrum is the continuous
band of colours seen when white
light is broken up into its
component parts (by passing
through a prism)
Spectral lines
• When pure elements are heated, they
give off light of very specific colour (not
white light)
• When this is passed through a prism we
get thin lines of colour instead of a
spectrum

He
Atomic structure
• Atoms are made of a nucleus
of protons and neutrons with
electrons “orbiting” in set
energy levels.
• If the atom absorbs energy
(heat or light), the electrons
can jump to the next energy
level.
Falling from an
“excited” state

When an excited electron


falls back to its usual energy
level, the extra energy is
released as light of a specific
energy ([Link] or
colour!)
Emission vs Absorption
• If an element is heated, then the light
emitted as its electrons fall back to their
ground state is seen as emission lines

• If an element is between the source of


energy and the observer, then
absorption lines will be seen (as dark
bands)
Elements in stars

• The energy emitted from stars (as light)


comes from the centre of the stars and
passes through the elements that make
up the star before coming to us.
• Thus, the spectrum of light from stars
contains dark bands related to the
elements present in the stars
The Doppler Effect

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Some animations to illustrate

(click me)

(click me)

(click me)
Breaking the sound barrier

QuickTime™ and a
YUV420 codec decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Keep in mind!
Red-shift
• Light travels through space as a wave.

• If the light source (star) is traveling away


from us, the wavelength will be lengthened
(Doppler effect)
Red-shift

• Absorption bands from the


star will be shifted towards
the longer (redder)
wavelengths of light
• The faster the star is traveling,
the further the bands are
shifted
What if it is coming towards
us?

Then we get a
blue-shift
So...to summarise

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

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