In May 1919, a total solar eclipse provided a rare opportunity for scientists to test the validity of Albert Einstein's groundbreaking theory of general relativity, which postulated that gravity can bend light. The British astronomer Arthur Eddington organized an expedition to the island of Príncipe, located in the Atlantic Ocean, where the total eclipse would be visible. Accompanying him was Andrew Claude de la Cherois Crommelin, who assisted in the observations. The objective was to measure the apparent position of stars near the sun during the eclipse and compare them to their positions when the sun was not present in the sky.

On May 29, the sky darkened as the moon passed between the Earth and the sun, creating a total solar eclipse. Eddington and Crommelin captured photographs of the stars surrounding the sun. The data collection was challenging due to fleeting moments of totality, but they systematically recorded the positions of stars near the sun, as Einstein's equations predicted that light from these stars would appear to shift due to the sun's gravitational field.

The results indicated a clear bending of light, precisely matching Einstein’s predictions. When the findings were announced in November 1919, they sparked a global sensation and established Einstein as a leading figure in theoretical physics. The confirmation of general relativity not only reshaped our understanding of gravity but also led to new explorations in astrophysics, cosmology, and the foundations of modern science.