Gravitational lensing due to earth

In summary: All light will always "see" the mass of the Earth as the only thing that has any gravitational effect.
  • #1
sodaboy7
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0
It is known that light from stars bend near surface of sun due to its mass. Similarly light will bend near Earth's surface (may be insignificant due to less mass). My question is that sunlight that strikes Earth's surface travels a straight path from sun or a curves near Earth's surface ?
 
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  • #2
It depends on the trajectory of the light. If it is traveling perpendicular to the Earth's surface, the light will only be slightly blue-shifted. Otherwise, it will be slightly bent by the Earth's surface. Basically. All light will tend toward the center of mass of the Earth. You are correct though, the amount of curvature or blue-shifting is pretty insignificant.
 
  • #3
I am new to general relativity.
soothsayer said:
Basically. All light will tend toward the center of mass of the Earth. You are correct though, the amount of curvature or blue-shifting is pretty insignificant.


1)Can we mathematically calculate the amount of curvature or deviation ?
2) Can we calculate the angle at which sun light strikes the surface of Earth (at a particular place) considering this bending (even if its is small)
3) Are you really sure, light tends towards center of mass ?
 
  • #5
soda:
1) Yep, we definitely can! In the same way you would calculate it for a black hole or star.

2) Yes, we can probably figure it as a function of the angle between the incoming light and the tangent plane to the surface of the Earth.

3) Yep. If you do Gauss' law on a planet like Earth, you'll see that any object that is located outside of the Earth's surface will only "see" the gravitational field as that of a singular point with the same mass as the Earth located exactly at the center of mass. Newton invented calculus for this exact reason: to prove this idea for his theory of gravity. It doesn't matter what angle the light makes or where it passes in relation to the Earth.
 

What is gravitational lensing due to Earth?

Gravitational lensing due to Earth is a phenomenon in which the gravitational field of the Earth bends the path of light from distant objects, causing them to appear distorted or magnified when viewed from Earth.

How does gravitational lensing due to Earth occur?

Gravitational lensing due to Earth occurs because the Earth has a large mass, which creates a strong gravitational field. As light passes through this field, it is bent or curved, similar to how a magnifying glass bends light.

What objects can be affected by gravitational lensing due to Earth?

Any object that emits light, such as stars, galaxies, or quasars, can be affected by gravitational lensing due to Earth. However, the effect is typically only noticeable for objects that are very far away from Earth.

Can gravitational lensing due to Earth be observed?

Yes, gravitational lensing due to Earth can be observed by astronomers using telescopes. However, it is a rare phenomenon and requires precise conditions to be visible.

What is the significance of gravitational lensing due to Earth in scientific research?

Gravitational lensing due to Earth can provide valuable information about the distribution of mass in the universe and the effects of gravity on light. It has also been used to discover new objects and study distant galaxies.

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