Is there a word similar to "reddening" for the color blue?

In planetary astronomy often the "color" of an object is described by relative amount of reflected light in the blue versus the red part of the spectrum. If something reflects light equally at all wavelengths it is "grey", if it reflects more light at red wavelengths then it is redder than a grey object, and if it reflects more light at blue wavelengths it is bluer. We often see surfaces change color. A common term used is reddening. This is also used for light from space which appears redder than expected because dust preferentially absorbs blue light.

My students and colleagues have started to use "blueing" or "bluening" in papers to refer to a color change that causes more reflected light in the blue (or less in the red). This really bothers me as it is not a real word to my knowledge and sounds awkward. I keep changing things to "becoming less reddened" - but that becomes awkward after awhile.

Solution 1:

To blue ( from TFD)

• (tr. & intr.v. blued, bluing, blues) To make or become blue.

Ngram blued, bluing.

Solution 2:

As English already has terms like reddening, yellowing, greening, greying, whitening, blackening, browning, purpling, silvering and goldening to describe a change in colour, it's hard to see what you find so objectionable about blueing.

Your colleagues clearly feel that it is a necessary addition to the lexicon of their profession, and are consequently employing it in their papers; so on what basis do you claim that "it is not a real word", besides the fact that you have convinced yourself that this is (or ought to be) the case?

Words are coined in response to a felt need; language is a tool to be used for the purpose of communicating meaning. Your colleagues are using it in exactly that way.