Can gravity or other spacial anomolies alter the speed of light?

Question

What I mean is in our observation of light travelling from distant stars or galaxies, can the journey of that light be delayed by gravitational objects or events and therefore the speed not match the constant we expect it to have?

Answer 1

This is a tricky question. The speed of light is not altered by anything in space... in fact, that is the basis for Einstein's Theory of Relativity. No matter where you are or at what velocity you are traveling, the speed of light will remain constant relative to you.

While the speed of light is not altered, the direction of light is affected by many phenomena. Certain materials can compress lightwaves, bending their tragectory. This is why light bends when it travels between air and water (and why the fish never seem to be in the spot you anticipate them when you throw your spear).

This example is not relativant to the vast emptiness of space, though. In this setting, light's tragectory can be altered by gravity (another component of Einstein's theories). A black hole, for example, is a mass so dense that its gravitational pull attracts even the stray photons that wander too close. Einstein himself proved that light from distant stars was bend around the gravitational field of the sun.

Answer 2

A unique lightspeed (speed of light in vacuum) for all inertial observers is required by Lorentz Invariance. Direct observation demands the vacuum is not refractivet, birefringent, dispersive, or chiral in the photon sector.

OTOH, the Sharnhorst effect can do a pretty on lightspeed by altering vacuum permeability and permittivity - but not enough to be detecable by a bunch.

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"scharnhorst effect" 1340 hits

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http://arXiv.org/abs/gr-qc/9909014
Amer. J. Phys. 71 770 (2003)
Phys. Rev. Lett. 92 121101 (2004)
falling light

Answer 3

the uncomplicated regulation of nature that gave upward push to the theories of relativity is that the fee of light is often C, no remember what the observer and source are, or what they are doing. So in so-called usual area, the fee of light is C. And the gap it travels is C dT = dS, the place dS and dT are usual area and usual time. the single you and that i are used to. So we've C = dS/dT in usual area. interior the throes of huge gravity assets, like a neutron action picture star, area gets compacted. in actuality, in accordance to the final thought, this compacting is the reason at the back of those outcomes like acceleration and allure that we characteristic to gravity. So area around one in each of those action picture star is compacted right down to ds < dS relative to usual area. yet because of the fact easy ought to nevertheless go C, we've C dt = ds the place dt is the time to span compacted area ds at easy speed. Or rewriting, we've C = ds/dt. And now seem right here.... dS/dT = C = ds/dt, meaning that dt = dT (ds/dS) so as that dt < dT as ds/dS < a million.000. And there we are. the two area dS and time dT are compacted to ds < dS and dt < dT by gravity. and thanks to this the fee of light remains mounted at C even in a super gravity container of a action picture star or that dreaded black hollow. So there you're. Gravity does not decelerate the fee of light. it relatively is C and continuously would be. yet gravity does compact area and decelerate time to maintain C at C no remember what. And the single answer who says gravity will modify the direction of light is almost precise. it relatively is relatively the bend in area that bends the easy, it relatively is in simple terms following the shortest direction between 2 factors. it relatively is the geodesic direction and close to the assets of bent area and time, that direction seems curved to an interloper no longer engulfed interior the gravity of that source. it relatively is the source of the so-called gravity lenses that bend easy rays around super mass.

Answer 4

maybe look up some info about blackholes....they are hugely dense objects with huge gravitational pulls that light cant even excape...my two cents

Answer 5

NO because light is just photons and energy and they dont get attracted

Answer 6

Nooooooooooo...................i dont know, look it up in the dictionary, just like my mom says to me. Duhh.

Answer 7

WE've never measured that effect.