Mechanistic Foundation: Sirius B Relativistic Redshift
What does this visualization mean?
The four squares: Markers for the same four hydrogen "fingerprint" wavelengths (Balmer series). The top row is where they appear normally. The bottom row is where they appear when we look at light from Sirius B—shifted right because gravitational redshift makes the light redder.
The slider: "Adjust gravitational gradient" changes how strong the gravity is. When you move it right, the bottom squares move further right (more redshift).
Hubble spectroscopy of the white dwarf Sirius B focuses on the Balmer series. The high surface gravity produces measurable gravitational redshift, acting as a natural laboratory for relativistic narrowing of measurement epochs.
Balmer series — Standard vs. Sirius B (relativistic redshift)
400 nm
700 nm
Standard Balmer
Sirius B (redshifted)