On May 29, 1919, a total solar eclipse helped prove Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Einstein’s theory suggested that gravity could bend light by curving the fabric of space-time. To prove this, he thought it would be a great idea to observe the background stars that appear very close to the sun. This is not possible without a total solar eclipse, because the sun is far too bright. In totality, the sun is completely covered by the moon, which allows us to see stars usually invisible during the day. According to relativity, stars appear to be in slightly different places in the sky. Einstein planned to test his theory during a total solar eclipse on August 21, 1914, but World War I broke out less than a month before and ruined his plans. For another total solar eclipse in 1919, British astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington organized two similar expeditions to Africa and Brazil. During totality, they mapped the positions of stars near the sun to see if they appeared to have moved. The difference in the positions of the stars was tiny, but it was just enough to ultimately prove Einstein’s theory.
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