Bending of Light Near a Star and Gravitational Red/Blue Shift : Alternative Explanation Based on Refraction of Light

Abstract

Many of the general-relativity-tests such as bending of light near a star and gravitational red/blue shift are explained without general-relativity and without Newtonian-approach. The author first casts doubts on both, the Newtonian and the relativistic approach; and proposes a novel alternative-explanation. The new alternative-explanation is based on refraction-phenomenon of optics. It predicts that as the ray passes through/near the stars atmospheric-medium, it bends due to refraction-phenomenon towards star-core, like a ray bends while passing through a prism or water-drop. A semi-empirical estimation of the atmospheric-height and its refractive-index are made to find the refraction-results. The refraction-based theory also suggests new explanation for gravitational red/blue shift; it tells that frequency remains constant (as it is so in refraction-phenomenon) and the red/blue shift is due to change in wavelength due to change in velocity of light in the medium . Estimated results for bending of light and the red/blue shift etc. with the new approach though agree well with known values, but important thing is that the physics is quite different. The proposed refraction-based theory proposes a new-look on black-hole, suggesting that black-hole formation is critically due to total-internal-reflection within atmosphere and subsequent absorption into the star-core. Gravitational-lensing is explained as real refraction-lensing. The present paper also suggests a possible-alternative and meaning to the curved geometry of space-time, and indicates that the fabric of space-time which warps(curves) around the mass is not the empty-vacuum but the atmospheric-medium.