Albert Einstein 43 - Einstein's Cosmology & Sir Arthur Eddington Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

Nothing deterred Einstein from his passionate work.
War and illness were all a part of life's experience.
He published "The General Theory of Relativity "
In Annalen Der Physik in 1916. The same year,
He became the President of German Physical society.
He also published three papers on Quantum Theory.
On 1st October, he became the Director of
Kaiser Wilhelm Institute of Physics in Germany.

It was during Dr.Einstein's stay in Berlin,
That he became deeply interested in Cosmology.
He wrote his first paper on Cosmology in 1917.
This made a remarkable impact on the scientists.
The great Dutch Astronomer Willem de Sitter was
Impressed by Dr. Einstein's theories and equations.
He informed the Secretary of the Royal Society of England
Of Einstein's General Relativity and his observations.

Sir Arthur Eddington, a brilliant British scientist,
An astronomer, theoretician, and a keen observer,
Also holding the position of Secretary of Royal Society,
Took up the challenge to experiment on Einstein theories.
In 1919, Eddington set off on a scientific expedition
With his team to the Island of Principe in West African coast.
Arthur Eddington's main mission was to measure
The bending of starlight by the gravitational pull of the Sun.

To prove Einstein's theory, Eddington needed
A total eclipse of the sun. It happened in West Africa,
On May 29,1919; the Sun was in constellation
Of the Hyades, the star cluster to the Earth.
Eddington took photos of the sky during the eclipse.
They waited till Hyades became visible in the night sky.
By comparing the night photos with eclipses photos,
They could observe the change in star positions.

A month later, on 12 Sept 1919,
Sir Arthur Eddington addressed a full house
Congregation of scientists at British Association meeting Wherein, he announced the findings of his experiments
Of Dr.Einstein's 'Cosmological Considerations in General Theory of Relativity'.
It was a victory not just for Dr. Albert Einstein or
For Sir Arthur Eddington, but a triumph for British Astronomy as well.

When Einstein was informed that his theory had proved right
His reaction to this victory was rather calm and placid.
He replied: " I knew that the theory was correct. Did you doubt it? "
Einstein was confident that his theory would prove right.
His Mentor, Max Planck was nervous and stayed up whole night waiting for the result. But Einstein had a good night's sleep!
It was only in the morning that he woke up to the triumphant news of his theory of cosmology that was proved right by Arthur Eddington and his experimenting team of scientists.

A Biographical Poem