Exploring the Red Shift in Stars: Uncovering the Mysteries of Our Galaxy

[elbeasto]

When I look at the stars in the sky with my undressed eye, they are blue. But pictures of stars taken by scientist always show them as red.

Does this mean that the stars in our galaxy are fairly stationary and/or moving closer to earth? Will I find that most red shifts will be seen in stars that are in other galaxies? Or does this mean I need some expensive tool to see the red shift?

 

[Borg]

When I look at the stars in the sky with my undressed eye, they are blue. But pictures of stars taken by scientist always show them as red.

Always? Where did you get that idea?

Does this mean that the stars in our galaxy are fairly stationary and/or moving closer to earth? Will I find that most red shifts will be seen in stars that are in other galaxies? Or does this mean I need some expensive tool to see the red shift?

There is local and cosmological redshift - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redshift"
The short answer is that you can't perceive redshift with the unaided eye. Local reshifts are too small to differentiate and the objects affected by cosmological redshifts are too far to see.

 

[elbeasto]

Always? Where did you get that idea?

You are right. They are not 'always' red. I was making a statement more casual and generic than I should.

... you can't perceive redshift with the unaided eye. Local reshifts are too small to differentiate and the objects affected by cosmological redshifts are too far to see.

Cool thanks.