Technique · The Cosmic Distance Ladder
Redshift & the Hubble–Lemaître Law
For distant galaxies, the expansion of the universe stretches their light to longer, redder wavelengths in proportion to their distance. Measure the redshift, apply the Hubble–Lemaître law, and you have the distance — the top rung of the ladder.
The Cosmic Distance LadderMeasures: Distance to distant galaxies
Builds on
Knowledge connections
- Member of groupThe Cosmic Distance Ladder
- Associated withCosmological Redshift
- Associated withThe Hubble–Lemaître Law
- Associated withThe Hubble Constant
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- 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.