A solar eclipse on May 29, 1919, gave a British expedition to West Africa a unique opportunity to observe Einstein’s theory of relativity in person. The expedition, led by English astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington, travelled to the West African island of Principe. It was there, the astronomer and his retinue watched the Sun disappear behind the Moon for almost seven minutes. When this happened, a theory of gravitational lensing postulated by Einstein four years prior in 1915, proved itself correct.
Einstein’s general theory of relativity has been an absolutely monumental piece of work, which has helped scientists better understand the inner workings of the cosmos.
From working models of black holes to future developments in Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies, general relativity was revolutionary.
Mike Cruise, president of the Royal Astronomical Society, said in a statement: “A century ago astronomers confirmed the general theory of relativity – in the process transforming our understanding of the universe forever.
“The work of Einstein and Eddington is an amazing example of international collaboration in the aftermath of the first world war, and a visible demonstration of how science can overcome barriers in these turbulent times.”
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Sir Eddington’s 1919 expedition confirmed Einstein’s relativity by observing the deviation of star positions during a solar eclipse.
Based on relativity, light passing through spacetime warped in the presence of massive gravity will slightly shift from its path.
The Royal Astronomical Society explained: “This happens because, according to Einstein’s theory, the path of light is bent by gravity when it travels close to a massive object like our Sun.
“This effect is measurable during a solar eclipse, when the Sun’s light is blocked by the Moon.
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“At such times, the light from the background stars closest to the edge of the Sun is bent, and so these stars appear to be in slightly different positions compared to when they are observed at other times.”
In essence, seven-minute-long eclipse darkened the skies enough to notice stars were seemingly in the wrong position.
The findings were confirmed by a secondary expedition to Sobral in Brazil, where the eclipse was also visible.
The results were then presented to the scientific community at a meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society and Royal Society.
The Royal Astronomical Society said the exhibitions propelled Einstein to worldwide fame “within days”.
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Quick facts about Albert Einstein:
1. Albert Einstein received the Noble Prize in Physics in 1921.
2. The German-born physicist never wore socks on his feet and would also never comb his hair.
3. Born on March 14, 1879, in Germany, Albert Einstein died on April 18, 1955, in New Jersey in America.
4. As a youngster, Einstein developed an avid interest in playing the violin and piano.
5. Einstein worked on his theory of relativity while working in a patent office.