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Einstein described his general relativity (gr) hypothesis in November of 1915. It predicted that the path of light from a distant star would appear to bend* when it passed near to our Sun. Such an effect could only be observed during a solar eclipse, and only with very sensitive instruments. Einstein admitted that a failure to observe the effect EXACTLY as predicted would mean all of gr would have to be abandoned -- there was pretty no "fudge factor" that would permit a modification of his basic idea to meet experimental results.

Einstein was able to show that gr explained an anamalous precession of the perehelion of Mercury. This was an unexpected early "test" of his hypothesis, but was hardly proof. It simply meant that gr explained a known fact of nature better than other ideas, but that did not mean it was the ONLY possible explanation.

The first observational test of light bending -- a test that would unambiguous prove or disprove gr -- was done by Arthur Eddington in 1919 May, and the results, when announced in November of that year, made Einstein a world celebrity literally overnight. More exact observations done in 1922 showed, beyond any dispute, that this bending was exactly as Einstein had predicted.

* I say "appear" because, in actuality, space is being warped and the light is simply following the space through which it is traveling.

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6mo ago

The key early test of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity was the observation of the deflection of starlight by the Sun during a solar eclipse in 1919. This confirmed the theory's prediction that massive objects like the Sun can bend the path of light, providing evidence for the curvature of spacetime.

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Q: What was the key early test of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity?
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Who created the theory of relativity?

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