What common analogy is used to help explain the physics behind spectral shifting?
Answer
The pitch of a siren dropping as an ambulance moves away from you (Doppler effect)
The Doppler effect, specifically the dropping pitch of a siren as an object recedes, is used as a common analogy to explain how motion affects wave perception, relating to light's redshift.

Related Questions
What does the redshift observed in deep space primarily describe?What physical process stretches the light wave as it travels across billions of light-years toward Earth?If a galaxy were moving toward an observer, what spectral shift would its light exhibit?According to the principles discussed, how does the degree of redshift relate to a galaxy's distance?What fundamental relationship between redshift and distance did Edwin Hubble codify?Why is measuring redshift considered an immensely powerful technique for gauging cosmological distance?What common analogy is used to help explain the physics behind spectral shifting?What two distinct physical phenomena can cause a galaxy to appear 'red' observationally?In the context of very distant galaxies, what is the dominant cause of the observed spectral shift?What does observing a galaxy with a redshift ($z$) of $z=1.0$ imply regarding its light wavelength compared to $z=0.1$?When determining the furthest objects currently observable, what measurement is the definitive yardstick?