Einstein and the Total Eclipse

by Peter Coles

In 1919, Einstein revolutionized our understanding of the physics of the Universe with his General Theory of Relativity. But could it be proven?

He suggested the proof by measuring the deflection of visible starlight as it traveled near the sun in a total eclipse. A scientific expedition to the Gulf of Guinea that year, verified Einstein's prediction, making him front page news across the world.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biography, Physics

80 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 1995

Reviews

[Jimmy]

Tells the story of the efforts to prove Einstein's theory about the bending of starlight by the sun. In 1919, two groups set out to different spots to try and measure the effect. It is now an accepted theory.

I am always amazed riding to work and knowing that the orange sun I am watching is that color because the light is bending and it has not yet actually risen. Pretty cool.

Einstein published his special theory of relativity in 1905. One of the greatest intellectual achievements in the history of human thought. More amazing, he was working as a patent clerk at the time. Physics was a kind of hobby. He also published seminal works that same year on photoelectric effect and Brownian motion.

With relativity, Einstein broke away from the concept of time as an absolute property that marches on at the same rate for everyone and everything.

"Science does not deal with rights and wrongs. It deals with descriptions of reality as either useful or not useful. . . . Science is not a religion and should not pretend to be one."--Peter Coles

[Remo]

Librín de 80 páginas con el relato de la expedición (las expediciones en realidad, hubo dos) que midió la desviación de la posición de las estrellas con respecto a la predicha por la física Newtoniana, al pasar los rayos muy cerca del Sol. Einstein predijo que, como el espacio se curva alrededor de las masas. un rayo de luz de una estrella que pasara cerca del Sol debería curvarse, por lo que veríamos la estrella en una posición diferente de la esperada.

Si Arthur Eddington estuvo al mando de la expedidción, cuyas medidas confirmaron las predicciones de Einstein (la medida salió bien pero el dispositivo experimental tenía fallos y el error era demasiado grande como para ser una medida fiable, pero eso se supo luego).
El libro aprovecha esta comprobación experimental para darnos un muy breve tour por la Relatividad, tanto la especial como la General (Einstein quería llamarlo la Teoría de los Invariantes, porque precisamente se basa no en que "todo es relativo" sino en que "todo es relativo salvo la velocidad de la luz").

[Adam]

Strange mix of science and biography about Einstein but an interesting little book nonetheless.

[Manuela Ceron Ch]

En mi sistema de calificación personal (porque 5 estrellas no me alcanza) 7/10, en ese entonces me gustaba mucho la ciencia y la física

[Can]

Başlangıç seviyesinde bir kitap, yerçekimiyle ilgili tarihsel ve pratik bilgiler(düşünce deneyleri) veriyor. Einstein ve Newton'a duyduğunuz saygıyı artırıyor. Son bölümde de bilim - medya ilişkisi hakkında değerlendirmelerde bulunuyor yazar.

Sağa sola giderken kısa bir yolculuk esnasında kolayca okunabilir.

[T-rock]

Great Portable Book for coffee shop, with intro to Big Science.

[Erin]

Didn't elucidate anything new...sigh...

[Morthen]

Interesting little book about Einstein's theories, concerning e.g. the bending of light.

[Michal Vaughn]

Just enough, and not too much. An enjoyable taste of einstein's world to all who enjoy their physics