How Do Scientists Know Light from Distant Heavenly Bodies Isn't a Reflection?

[jobyts]

1. How does scientists know that the light from far distant heavenly bodies are actually from those, or some kind of reflection?

2. If a red object reflects only red frequency light, why I do not see red light from that object to the surrounding?

 

[Loren Booda]

1. Some cosmologists speculate that far-field galactic images are reflected by spacetime curvature to produce most of the "galaxies" apparent there.

2. If I understand you correctly, perhaps the light it reflects is not intense enough, that it is en route to you, or that it shines upon objects that absorb, rather than reflect, red light. Otherwise, it might not have a train of photons that eventually leads back to you, the observer. You cannot observe a photon traveling perpendicular to you, i. e., that does not at sometime strike your senses directly.

What made you think of this situation? The cosmological redshift?

 

[astrokreng]

I can provide some insight into these questions on reflection. The first question is a common one in astronomy and is a result of the nature of light. Light travels in straight lines and can be reflected off of objects, allowing us to see them. When it comes to distant heavenly bodies, we can observe the light that reaches us and analyze its properties, such as its wavelength or color. By studying these properties, we can determine if the light is indeed coming from the object itself or if it is a reflection from another source.

In regards to the second question, it is important to understand that objects do not emit light on their own. They only reflect the light that is shone upon them. So, if a red object is in a room with no light source, there will be no red light to reflect. However, if there is a light source that emits white light, the red object will only reflect the red frequencies, making it appear red to our eyes. This is because our eyes are sensitive to different wavelengths of light, and our brain interprets these signals as different colors.

I hope this helps to clarify some of the concepts behind reflection and how it relates to our understanding of distant objects and the colors we see. As scientists, we continue to study and learn more about light and its properties, allowing us to better understand the world around us.