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| Paper: |
A New Test of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity by Ancient Solar Eclipses |
| Volume: |
409, Cosmology Across Cultures |
| Page: |
166 |
| Authors: |
Henriksson, G. |
| Abstract: |
A correct identification of ancient solar eclipses is not only important for historical reasons but also gives the possibility to determine the acceleration of the longitude of the Moon to a high precision. The Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) of the distance to the Moon makes it possible to check if there is any significant deviation from Kepler’s third law of motion. In all modern calculations the value for the tidal lunar secular acceleration, -26 arcseconds/century2 (”/cy2), have been used, (determined by Morrison and Ward), from the transits of Mercury 1677-1973. Williams and Dickey reported an unexpected problem during their recent analysis of the LLR-data and they had to solve for an anomalous eccentricity rate equivalent to an additional 6 mm/year decrease in the perigee distance. This anomaly is in my opinion caused by an underestimation of the tidal acceleration of the Moon due to the strong influence of the non-tidal effect caused by the global warming since 1680.
All well documented total solar eclipses from the Greek, Babylonian and Chinese texts back to 2500 BC fit perfectly with my calculations based on a lunar secular acceleration of -29.68”/cy2, determined by Schoch from an occultation of Spica by the Moon in 283 BC. After correction for non-tidal effects I obtained -29.65”/cy2. With this value there is a difference of only +0.68±1.92 mm/year from the value predicted by Einstein’s theory. This deviation is in good agreement with predictions from the string theory of Dvali et al., which can explain Dark Energy. Both theories predict a value within the error margins of ±1.92 mm/year. |
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