Complete calculations of the perihelion precession of Mercury and the deflection of light by the Sun in General Relativity

2007/12/21 by C. Magnan, Magnan, Christian · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) #Geophysics and Gravity Measurements #Relativity and Gravitational Theory #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0712.3709

openalex publication_date 2007/12/21 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

Taking up a method devised by Taylor and Wheeler and collecting pieces of their work we offer a self-contained derivation of the formulae giving both the precession of the orbit of a planet around the Sun and the deflection angle of a light pulse passing near the Sun in the framework of General Relativity. The demonstration uses only elementary algebra without resorting to tensor formalism. No prior knowledge in relativity is needed to follow the presentation.

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• Kepler's Orbits and Special Relativity in Introductory Classical Mechanics

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