Astronomical measurements must account for gravity
Thursday, September 25, 2014 - 05:40
in Astronomy & Space
One of the consequences of general relativity is that light can be deflected by nearby masses. Mass curves space, and this curvature causes light to bend slightly. It was first observed during a total eclipse in 1919. The effect is extremely small unless the light passes close to a large mass, so gravitational lensing (as it is typically known) is usually only noticed with objects such as lensed galaxies, or specific tests of general relativity. But even though the effect is small as you get further from a mass, it isn't zero. As our astronomical measurements become more precise, the effects of gravity are starting to become something we can't ignore.