Key Takeaways:
- A total solar eclipse on August 21, 1914, provided a crucial opportunity to test Einstein's theory of relativity, specifically its prediction of light bending due to gravity.
- Planned expeditions from Germany, Argentina, and the United States aimed to observe the eclipse and gather supporting data for Einstein's theory, but were significantly hampered by the outbreak of World War I.
- The German expedition was arrested in Crimea due to the war, while the American and Argentine expeditions faced poor weather conditions and perilous journeys home.
- A British expedition, initially redirected, successfully captured photographs in Sweden, although their return journey also presented considerable challenges due to the ongoing war.
On Aug. 21, 1914, a total solar eclipse over Europe on the eve of World War I drew much attention. Albert Einstein had been waiting for an eclipse to verify his theory of relativity – specifically the light-bending effects of gravity – and enlisted help from Erwin Findlay-Freundlich of Berlin Observatory. Findlay-Freundlich was to lead a German expedition to Crimea, but the Aug. 2 declaration of war between Germany and Russia led to their entire research party being arrested, their equipment seized, and members either deported or held as prisoners of war. Other expeditions with similar goals, including an Argentine group and an American team from Lick Observatory, made it to Russia but faced poor weather; the trip home was also fraught, with the Americans fleeing through the Baltics to avoid the front. A British expedition was rerouted away from Kyiv (two team members were Jesuit priests, barred from entering Russia), but found more success in Sweden, with clear and detailed photographs being captured. However, they too faced a dangerous trip home, even requiring escorts to safely travel through minefields. Stymied by weather and war, none of the teams captured the evidence needed to support Einstein’s theory; it would remain unproven until Arthur Eddington’s 1919 eclipse expedition.
