Scientists attempt to measure speed of gravity

Ever since Albert Einstein proposed the general theory of relativity in 1916, physicists worldwide have tested the theory's underlying principles. Whil some principles - such as the speed of light is a constant - have been proven, others have enot. Now, through a combination of modern technology, the alignment of a unique group of celestial bodies on Sept. 8, and an experiment conceived by a University of Missouri-Columbia physicist, one more of those principles might soon be proven.

"According to Einstein's theory, the speed of gravity is assumed to be equal to the speed of light," said Sergei Kopeikin, MU associate professor of physics and astronomy. "While there is indirect evidence this is true, the speed has never been measured directly, and that's what we're attempting to do in an experiment that will not be possible again for another decade."

The experiment will involve precisely measuring the angular distances between several quasars, celestial objects in distant galaxies that resemble stars. On Sept. 8, Jupiter will pass very close to the primary quasar. When it does, its gravity will cause the quasar's position in the sky to shift by a distance that depends on the speed of gravity. Kopeikin and Ed Fomalont, a radio astronomer with the National Science Foundation's National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), will use an observational technique they developed to compare the position of the primary quasar to the position of other quasars unaffected by Jupiter. Using their data, they hope to confirm the accuracy of Einstein's theory further.

Measurements will be made using the NRAO's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), a series of 10, 25-meter radio telescopes located from the Virgin Islands to Hawaii, and the 100-meter radio telescope in Effelsberg, Germany, which is operated by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy. "Results from recent VLBA test observations indicate we can reach the accuracy necessary to determine the speed of gravity if the experiment goes well," Fomalont said.

"Japanese and NASA scientists also will conduct the experiment independently using other telescopes around the world, so we'll be able to compare our findings," Kopeikin said. "We believe the general theory of relativity is correct and that the speed of gravity is equal to the speed of light."

"The techniques we've employed for this experiment can also be used to more precisely determine the position of other objects in space," Fomalont said. "With more exact positioning of satellites, we could improve telecommunications. Unmanned space navigation could also be improved, allowing us to explore the solar system more deliberately."

The scientists said final results from the experiment should be available in mid-November.

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Likewise, gravitons have more mass than photons because gravitons travel CONSIDERABLY faster than photons.

Ergo, gravity is considerably faster than light.

Massive objects move slower than light. Objects that move faster than light would have an imaginary mass.

But the fact is that gravity drops off as the inverse square of the distance. That alone tells us that gravitons are massless. If gravitons had a nonzero mass, the force would drop off faster than that.

"Massive objects move slower than light. Objects that move faster than light would have an imaginary mass. But the fact is that gravity drops off as the inverse square of the distance. That alone tells us that gravitons are massless. If gravitons had a nonzero mass, the force would drop off faster than that."

Well, yes and no. Both Gravitons and Photons ARE massless when they are at rest, it's just that for all practical intents they are never at rest. The issue then becomes that the perceived mass IS an imaginary mass, except that this imaginary mass has a real gravity.

Because of that real gravity, light can be impacted by large masses. Thus, light bends as it nears the path of a planet. If light was at rest, then the gravity from a planet would not affect it, and this is verifiable experimentally by slowing down light. As light slows, gravity bends it less and less. This is because the slower that light travels, the slower that its photons travel, and the slower photons travel, the less perceived mass they have. The less perceived mass that they have, the less that the gravity from a planet can affect them.

Therefore, I think that the equations should look something like this in order to calculate the speed of gravity:

Part Two:
E=MC^2
All mass has energy
Gravity (G) is the energy of a mass, therefore G=E/M
G=CGp (Southack's Theory on the Speed of Gravity)
Gravity and Light are inter-related due to the perceived mass of gravitons and photons at speed, therefore G=C^2
Gp=C
Gp = Perceived Mass of Graviton / Perceived Mass of Photon
Perceived Mass of Graviton = C * Perceived Mass of Photon

Part One
(Speed of Gravity)
1. Light has no mass
2. Photons of light have no mass at rest.
3. Photons of light have perceived mass due to their speed in light.
4. The perceived mass of photons has/have real gravity.
5. Gravity can appreciably bend light.
6. Light does not appreciably bend gravity.
7. Gravity can appreciably bend light because gravitons have much more percieved mass than photons.
8. Gravity and light are related to each other by the percieved mass of their wave-like-particles of gravitons and photons at speed.
9. Gravitons have much more perceived mass than photons because gravitons travel much faster than photons.
Therefore, Gravity is much faster than the speed of Light. The Speed of Gravity (G) can hereby be represented as the speed of light (C) multiplied by the contant (Gp) which represents the ratio of difference in perceived mass between photons and gravitons (G=CGp --> Southack's Theory on the Speed of Gravity). The ratio of this difference in masses (Gp) is equal to C (see Part Two above).

The Speed of Gravity is therefore the speed of light squared (G=C^2).

if you could suddenly materialize the planet Jupiter out of nonexistence, how long would it take us here on earth fo feel a gravitational tug?

If we run into anybody who can do that, gravity will be the least of our worries. Reminds me of a city council meeting I attended one time in Seal Beach, California. They were considering an ordinance that would prohibit various sorts of conjuring, including "materializing and/or dematerializing objects, and telekenesis." Some guy stood up and said that if they run into anybody doing that, he would advise against messing with them.

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