Solar eclipse proves the genius and extraordinary intelligence of Albert Einstein

Four years after its publication, Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity was verified by a rare astronomical phenomenon, catapulting his fame to new heights.

In February 1919, two groups of astronomers from the Greenwich and Cambridge observatories set out for Sobral (Brazil) and Príncipe (an island off West Africa) respectively, with advanced equipment, allowing them to photograph the solar eclipse that crossed South America, the Atlantic Ocean and Africa on May 29.

The expeditions, led by Frank Dyson of the Royal Greenwich Observatory and Arthur Eddington of Cambridge University, aimed to test Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.

Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity was verified in 1919. (Photo: Harris and Ewing Collection/Library of Congress, Washington, DC).

This famous theory was published in 1915 but is still widely questioned by scientists. The eclipse provided a rare opportunity to verify one of the essential consequences of general relativity: the phenomenon of light being bent by gravity.

Einstein's theory predicted that light rays passing near a massive object in space would be bent. They would follow the curve in space-time created by the mass of the object. In the case of a light ray emanating from a distant star and passing near the edge of the Sun, Einstein calculated a deflection of about 1.75 arc seconds.

Under normal conditions, Einstein's prediction cannot be tested . The simple reason is that sunlight overwhelms the light from nearby stars, making them invisible to observers on Earth. However, the darkness of a solar eclipse will allow astronomers to observe and photograph the star field surrounding the Sun.

By comparing these images with control images taken at night, it was possible to measure how much the starlight was bent as the Sun appeared. This was facilitated by a bright star cluster called the Hyades that appeared close to the Sun during the eclipse.

On the day of the eclipse, the Príncipe team struggled with cloudy skies, and the Brazil team had to resort to a lower-quality backup telescope when images from the main telescope were out of focus. However, both were eventually able to get images.

After several months of analysis, in November 1919, Eddington and Dyson published their findings in favor of general relativity.

The press was abuzz with news. The Times of London proclaimed: 'Revolution in science. New theory of the universe. Newton's ideas overthrown '. The New York Times headlined: 'Aberrant light in the sky'.

This news instantly elevated Einstein, a previously relatively well-known physicist, to global fame. The media began to delve into the enigmatic nature of Einstein's work, emphasizing that only a handful of people in the world could understand it.

According to Britannica's commentary, the 1919 solar eclipse was a landmark event, not only proving the general theory of relativity but also affirming Einstein's genius and extraordinary intelligence.