Physical law · Cosmology

The Hubble–Lemaître Law

Cosmology & UniverseEstablished Science

Definition

The law that a galaxy's recession velocity is proportional to its distance: v = H₀ × d.

Scientific overview

First derived by Lemaître (1927) and measured by Hubble (1929), the law states that galaxies recede at a speed proportional to their distance, with the constant of proportionality the Hubble constant. In 2018 the IAU recommended naming it for both scientists.

Rests on

General Relativity

Related discoveries & objects

The Expansion of the Universe

Related scientists

Edwin Hubble

Georges Lemaître

The Expansion of the Universe

The Hubble Constant

Cosmological Redshift

Knowledge connections

Related toThe Expansion of the Universe
Related toCosmological Redshift
Related toThe Expansion of the Universe
Related toThe Hubble Constant
Related toCosmological Redshift
Depends onGeneral Relativity
Related toThe Expansion of the Universe
Studied byEdwin Hubble
Studied byGeorges Lemaître
Related toThe Hubble Constant
Associated withRedshift & the Hubble–Lemaître Law

Sources & references

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.
IAUInternational Astronomical Union
Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.

Quick facts

Type: Physical law
Field: Cosmology
Consensus: Established Science

Scientific consensus

Established Science

Observationally confirmed and consistent across all leading models.

Quality & authority

38%

Unreviewed

Completeness: Complete
Source coverage: Complete
Citation coverage: None
Relationship coverage: Complete
Review coverage: None
Image coverage: None

Curated from authoritative sources. See source quality.

Scientific citations

Real, source-backed references — primary papers first, then datasets and institutional sources. Formatted through the citation engine; nothing is fabricated.

Peer-reviewed paperA relation between distance and radial velocity among extra-galactic nebulae

Edwin Hubble · PNAS 15 (3), 168–173 · 1929

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.15.3.168

Cite (APA / BibTeX)

Edwin Hubble (1929). A relation between distance and radial velocity among extra-galactic nebulae. PNAS 15 (3), 168–173. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.15.3.168

@misc{cite:hubble-1929,
  title        = {A relation between distance and radial velocity among extra-galactic nebulae},
  author       = {Edwin Hubble},
  organization = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},
  howpublished = {PNAS 15 (3), 168–173},
  year         = {1929},
  doi          = {10.1073/pnas.15.3.168},
  url          = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.15.3.168},
  note         = {The velocity–distance relation (Hubble's law).}
}

Institutional pageThe Hubble–Lemaître Law — NASA Universe

NASA

Cite (APA / BibTeX)

NASA (n.d.). The Hubble–Lemaître Law — NASA Universe. NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/

@misc{cite:nasa-cosmo-the-hubble-lema-tre-law,
  title        = {The Hubble–Lemaître Law — NASA Universe},
  organization = {NASA},
  year         = {n.d.},
  url          = {https://science.nasa.gov/},
  note         = {NASA science overview: The Hubble–Lemaître Law.}
}

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Sources & references

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

IAUInternational Astronomical Union

Official naming, definitions, constellation boundaries, and astronomical nomenclature.

Edwin Hubble (1929). A relation between distance and radial velocity among extra-galactic nebulae. PNAS 15 (3), 168–173. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.15.3.168 @misc{cite:hubble-1929, title = {A relation between distance and radial velocity among extra-galactic nebulae}, author = {Edwin Hubble}, organization = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, howpublished = {PNAS 15 (3), 168–173}, year = {1929}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.15.3.168}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.15.3.168}, note = {The velocity–distance relation (Hubble's law).} }

NASA (n.d.). The Hubble–Lemaître Law — NASA Universe. NASA. https://science.nasa.gov/ @misc{cite:nasa-cosmo-the-hubble-lema-tre-law, title = {The Hubble–Lemaître Law — NASA Universe}, organization = {NASA}, year = {n.d.}, url = {https://science.nasa.gov/}, note = {NASA science overview: The Hubble–Lemaître Law.} }

The Hubble–Lemaître Law

Definition

Scientific overview

Rests on

Related discoveries & objects

Related scientists

Related topics

Knowledge connections

Sources & references

The Hubble–Lemaître Law

Definition

Scientific overview

Rests on

Related discoveries & objects

Related scientists

Related topics

Knowledge connections

Sources & references