Gravitational Redshift

In astrophysics, gravitational redshift or Einstein shift is the process by which electromagnetic radiation originating from a source that is in gravitational field is reduced in frequency, or redshifted, when observed in a region of a weaker gravitational field. This is as a direct result of Gravitational time dilation; frequency of the electromagnetic radiation is reduced in an area of a higher gravitational potential. There is a corresponding reduction in energy when electromagnetic radiation is red-shifted, as given by Planck's relation, due to the electromagnetic radiation propagating in opposition to the gravitational gradient. There also exists a corresponding blueshift when electromagnetic radiation propagates from an area of a weaker gravitational field to an area of a stronger gravitational field.

If applied to optical wavelengths, this manifests itself as a change in the colour of visible light as the wavelength of the light is increased toward the red part of the light spectrum. Since frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional, this is equivalent to saying that the frequency of the light is reduced towards the red part of the light spectrum, giving this phenomenon the name redshift.