Feature
New mechanism tor generating redshifts of spectral lines
According to current cosmological theories, the universe came into existence some 15 to 20 billion years ago. Since then, the large scale four-dimensional fabric of the world has continued to drag matter and radiation further and further apart. The available theories and observational evidence suggest that the recessional velocity of the visible and presumably also the invisible features increases linearly with the separation between the observer and the observed structures. This statement, known as Hubble's law, plays a central role in our current interpretation of the universe and in our understanding of its distant past. The observed red shift of the distant galaxies fits nicely with the picture of an expanding dynamical universe.
Log in or become a member to view the full text of this article.
This article may be available for purchase via the search at Optica Publishing Group.
Optica Members get the full text of Optics & Photonics News, plus a variety of other member benefits.