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Back The distortion of space

The distortion of space


Copyright: Jos de Bruijne, ESA

The planets in the Solar System distort space, bending starlight. ESA's Gaia mission will measure the effect to test general relativity. Red regions are the predicted areas of the greatest distortion, caused by the planets, and blue the least. As the planets orbit the Sun, so the regions of distortion move with them.
Last Update: 1 September 2019
17-Feb-2026 20:46 UT

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