Reddening is the phenomenon where light from distant astronomical objects appears to be shifted towards the red end of the spectrum due to the presence of dust grains in the interstellar medium. This effect occurs because shorter wavelengths of light are scattered more efficiently than longer wavelengths, leading to a preferential loss of blue light. Reddening is an important aspect in understanding the properties of dust and its impact on observations in astrochemistry, particularly in determining distances and compositions of celestial objects.
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