On May 29, 1919, during a total solar eclipse visible from Brazil and Africa, a team of British astronomers carried out a crucial experiment to verify Albert Einstein's new theory of general relativity.
Led by Arthur Eddington, they pointed their telescopes at the stars near the darkened Sun, seeking to detect Einstein's prediction that rays of stellar light would be subtly bent by the Sun's gravitational field. The success of the experiment would catapult Einstein to world fame. .
This book tells the fascinating story of the ambitious 1919 experiment, its protagonists, and the rivalry between the cosmological visions of Einstein and Newton that was at stake.
It details the preparations for the measurement during the eclipse, the theory of general relativity that was sought to be tested, Eddington's trip to the remote island of Principe for the observations, the results and its controversial initial interpretation.
It also examines the doubts and criticisms subsequently raised about the validity of the data, the precision achieved, possible biases and the solidity of the conclusions. It also explores the historical context, the enthusiasm for establishing a new physics, and the lasting legacy of this key episode in modern science.
A rigorous yet accessible account of the ambitious 1919 experiment and its role in establishing Einstein's visionary theory of relativity, which forever transformed our understanding of space, time and gravitation.