Precession of Mercury’s Orbit Confirmed Relativity

Newtonian mechanics couldn’t explain Mercury.

Mercury’s orbit precesses slightly more than Newton predicted, solved by Einstein’s general relativity.

Why This Matters

This historic observation validated a major physics revolution.

It also highlights subtle effects in orbital mechanics that affect long-term predictions.

Did You Know?

Mercury’s orbit shifts by 43 arcseconds per century beyond Newtonian predictions.

Source

[NASA, nasa.gov]

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