On the Gravitational Bending of Light
—Was Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington Right?

G. G. Nyambuya, W. Simango

Department of Applied Physics, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Republic of Zimbabwe.

DOI: 10.4236/ijaa.2014.41022                

Abstract

The paramount British-Led (May 29, 1919) Solar Eclipse Result of Eddington et al. has been tremendous if not an arcane effect in persuading scientists, philosophers and the general public, to accept Einstein’s esoteric General Theory of Relativity (GTR) thereby “deserting” Newtonian gravitation altogether, especially in physical domains of extreme gravitation where Einstein’s GTR is thought or believed to reign supreme. The all-crucial factor “2” predicted by Einstein’s GTR has been “verified” by subsequent measurements, more so by the most impressive and precision modern technology of VLBA measurements using cosmological radio waves to within 99.998% accuracy. From within the most well accepted provinces, confines and domains of Newtonian gravitational theory, herein, we demonstrate that the gravitational to inertial mass ratio of photons in Newtonian gravitational theory where the identities of the inertial and gravitational mass are preserved, the resulting theory is very much compatible with all measurements made of the gravitational bending of light. Actually, this approach posits that these measurements of the gravitational bending of light not only confirm the gravitational bending of electromagnetic waves, but that, on a much more subtler level; rather clandestinely, these measurements are in actual fact a measurement of the gravitational to inertial mass ratio of photons. The significant 19% scatter isseen in the measurements where white-starlight is used, according to the present thesis, this scatter is seen to imply that the gravitational to inertial ratio of photons may very well be variable quantity such that for radio waves, this quantity must—to within 99.998% accuracy, be unity. We strongly believe that the findings of the present reading demonstrate or hint to a much deeper reality that the gravitational and inertial mass, may—after all; not be equal as we have come to strongly believe.

Keywords

Astrometry; Celestial Mechanics; Ephemerides; Planets and Satellites; Formation

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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