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More than 100 years after Albert Einstein published his emblematic theory of general relativity, it is beginning to show signs of old age. Now, in the most comprehensive test of general relativity near the monstrous black hole at the center of our galaxy, Professor Andrea Ghez of the University of California has announced that Einstein's theory of general relativity holds up – for the moment. Professor Ghez said, "Einstein is right, at least for the moment. We can absolutely exclude Newton's law of gravity. "Our observations are consistent with Einstein's theory of general relativity.
"However, his theory clearly shows his vulnerability.
"This can not fully explain the gravity inside a black hole, and we will one day have to go beyond Einstein's theory to adopt a more complete theory of gravity that explains what's going on." 39 is a black hole. "
Einstein, theoretical physicist of German origin, is considered, along with Max Plank, as one of the two pillars of modern physics.
His theory of general relativity of 1915 states that what we perceive as the force of gravity comes from the curvature of space and time.
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The scientist proposed that celestial objects such as the Sun and the Earth modify this geometry.
Einstein's theory is the best description of how gravity works, said Professor Ghez, who performed direct measurements of the phenomenon near a supermassive black hole – a research dubbed "extreme" astrophysics".
The laws of physics, including gravity, should be valid throughout the universe, said Ghez, adding that his research team was one of two groups in the world watching a star known as the S0-2 name on a complete orbit in three dimensions. around the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way.
The full orbit lasts 16 years and the mass of the black hole is about four million times greater than that of the Sun.
The researchers say their work is the most detailed study ever conducted on the supermassive black hole and Einstein's theory of general relativity.
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Key research data were the spectra that Professor Ghez's team analyzed in April, May and September, as his "favorite star" approached the huge black hole.
Spectra, described by Ghez as "rainbow of light" stars, show the intensity of light and provide important information about the star from which the light gets moves.
The spectra also show the composition of the star. These data were combined with the measurements that Ghez and his team have made over the past 24 years.
Spectra – collected in Hawaii, W.M. The Keck Observatory, using a spectrograph built at UCLA by Professor James Larkin, provides the third dimension, revealing the movement of the star with a level of precision never before achieved.
Professor Larkin's instrument takes the light of a star and disperses it, as do raindrops that scatter sunlight to create a rainbow.
Professor Ghez added: "The particular interest of S0-2 lies in its complete three-dimensional orbit.
"That's what gives us the entrance ticket in the tests of general relativity.
"We asked how gravity behaved near a supermassive black hole and whether Einstein's theory tells us the whole story.
"To see the stars go through their complete orbit is the first opportunity to test fundamental physics using the movements of these stars."
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