What can the presence of red shift in light indicate about celestial objects?

Study for the Earth Science Regents Exam. Dive into flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Prepare confidently for your exam!

The presence of red shift in light from celestial objects indicates that these objects are moving away from Earth, which is supported by the Doppler effect. When a light source moves away from an observer, the wavelengths of light stretch, resulting in a shift towards the red end of the spectrum. This phenomenon has been observed in distant galaxies and is a key piece of evidence for the expansion of the universe. The greater the red shift, the faster the object is receding, which aligns with the theory that the universe is continuously expanding. This observation has profound implications for our understanding of cosmology and the dynamics of galaxies over time.

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