But Hans Bethe wrote a paper showing that it was related to absolute zero $$ T_0=(1-\frac 2 \alpha )$$ where ## T_0## is absolute zero in Celsius and alpha the fine structure constant (G. Beck, H. Bethe & W. Riezler 1931: Naturwissenschaften 19, 39.)
He was making fun of Eddington. Pissed some people off. He was a tremendously interesting fellow...perhaps the most interesting I ever met. But the publication did finally get formally withdrawn.