Observational Tests of General Relativity: An Historical Look at Measurements Prior to the Advent of Modern Space-Borne Instruments

Abstract

This chapter gives a brief summary of the main current lines of observational (and in a few cases experimental) research designed to test the predictions of general relativity (GR). The basic pieces of work described include laboratory tests of the principle of equivalence and also astronomical tests within the solar system, light deflection and light delays both within the solar system and on larger scales within the Galaxy, and binary pulsars as the most powerful current probes of GR. Contrasts between the numerical limits on the accuracy of the methods, the predictions of GR, and predictions of alternative theories are brought out, with the basic conclusion that so far GR gives an entirely adequate framework for the results of each different test applied. Finally, a very short survey of sensitive space-based tests is added, to give a perspective on current experimental trends.