Was gravitational length contraction predicted by general theory of relativity ?

[manvirsingh]

I have read somewhere about the phenomenon called gravitational length contraction.Was gravitational length contraction predicted by general theory of relativity?

 

[Dale]

You have to define how you are measuring the length of a distant object.

 

[harrylin]

I have read somewhere about the phenomenon called gravitational length contraction.Was gravitational length contraction predicted by general theory of relativity?

Yes, and you can read it here (English translation p.196-197:
http://web.archive.org/web/20060829045130/http://www.Alberteinstein.info/gallery/gtext3.html

In particular he concludes there:

- that the "rod thus appears a little shortened [..] by the presence of the gravitational field, if the rod is laid along a radius", and
- that "the gravitational field [..] has no influence on the length of a rod" in the tangential position.

PS: of more practical use was his prediction of gravitational time dilation, which he explains next.

Harald