Can the way we understand gravity be challenged?

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   sandra rinckposted 14 years ago

   I was just reading this article  http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?s … amp;ref=nf Now, I never heard about a solar eclipse having an effect on gravity but apparently there have been "anomalies" reported when they occur.
   
   Anyways, so there is a new study going on that seeks to either prove or dismiss whether or not a solar eclipse can change gravity.
   
   Obviously there are a list of other theories on the table to explain the strange pendulum swings that seem to only occur during an eclipse... last report, if I can remember off the top of my head from the article, in 1954. 
   
   So we shall see. 
   
   Anyways, if it did have an effect on gravity... I guess I don't know what understanding would change.  Anyone care to enlighten me. 

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      Mishaposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Mo may be?

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         sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

           hahahhaha.

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      MontyApolloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Gravity is not that will understood when you try to reconcile it with quantum physics, so there is no telling how it would be interpreted or incorporated into current theory.
      
      It is interesting that the gravitational lensing effect that can be observed during solar eclipses was used to validate Einstein's theory of General Relativity, but I don't know if there are any theories on the table already waiting to be validated by this solar eclipse effect.
      
      I suspect they would just find some way to incorporate it into General Relativity instead of creating a new theory, but unexplainable events is where new science comes from.

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      Lyphenkrysizposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hi, Sandra. It seems to me that, since the moon can pull the ocean to make tides, then gravity is always being effected in just that sense alone. Where the tides rise the water is weighing less, eh? So maybe when the sun is in the same line as the moon then the effect is magnified somewhat. Thanks for the interesting observation.

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         sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         ??? eh???
         
         The water doesn't weigh less and gravity doesn't tug at the water itself per say. 
         
         The article wasn't about gravity being more intense.  It was more about some sort of shift... like...um...
         
         We know that we have a north pole and a south pole and that using a compass always points to the same poles... of course depending on what side of the hemisphere you are but regardless, the anomaly is that a pendulum swings north and south (you know what I mean) but during this time, it swings east to west.

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            yoshi97posted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Then if I jump up at the wrong time I won't fall off the Earth? *whew!* (however, I might fall into the wall rather than back to the floor. I do find that a bit disconcerting...

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            White Teethposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            I suspect that somebody in the olden times bumped the pendulum and did not fess up.
            
            A shift noticeable by the naked eye would be monumental, to say the least. It is so unlikely that I'm not sure why New Scientist even covered it...well maybe for this attention...

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   jonwenbergposted 14 years ago

   I don't know about solar eclipses, but I do recall hearing some information about String / Super String theory in which gravity is described as one of several dimensional forces acting on matter. The Idea about solar eclipses affecting gravity may be rooted in this discussion.
   
   This is a url to the program I watched:
   
   http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/program.html

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   cynthiaaliseposted 14 years ago

   I have a theory for why it might alter gravity.  In is an arm chair scientist theory, but here goes.  With two major bodies, that each have their own form of gravity, pulling on the earth in alignment the usual balance of gravity can be lessened or strengthened by the combined gravitational pull of each of these bodies.  This could explain the anomalies with out challenge the current laws of physics.

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      sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I dunno, it sounds more like a atmospheric pressure change.  Of course I think that is what they are trying to find out.  Is it something that can be easily proved or is there something more to understand about gravity.
      
      I can't wait to hear the results.  Still though,  I don't know what part about gravity would be challenged.

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   Jellyrugposted 14 years ago

   When feeling guilty because you broke your diet, wait for a solar eclipse before you get on the scale. :-)
   
   I believe it will affect gravity, but the effect will be negligble and very hard to quantify.

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      cynthiaaliseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      LOL!!! I am going to try that one, but I think it depends on which side of the globe you are on.

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   cynthiaaliseposted 14 years ago

   I just made a hub my theory.  It is simplistic, but I love to think of these things.

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      White Teethposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Ahhh...that is kind of the definition of tidal force...nothing new...good try though.
      
      There was a "harmonic convergence" a few years ago that freaked out the New Agers.

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         sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Well I don't know if anyone got to reading the link I left with the original article I got this from but.. umm..
         
         They are wondering why the pendulum would swing in a different direction because of an eclipse.

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         sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

           what's this???! "harmonic convergence"  that sounds interesting.

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            White Teethposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            ...New Age blah...Mayan blah...Most of the planets are all lined up, sort of in a row...New Age Blah...blah..........blah...

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               sandra rinckposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Oh, I thought there was going to be something interesting. 

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                  sbeakrposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  i don't think system planetary alignment is particularly UNinteresting, even if it has less than spectacular effect.  meteor showers are pretty mundane as far as the cosmos go, but we still think they're neat, yeah?  maybe i'm alone on that one...but hey, i'm really just eleven.

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