What physical phenomenon necessitated incorporating Einstein's General Relativity for planetary orbit models?
Answer
The perihelion precession of Mercury
The evolution of understanding planetary orbits exemplifies how science refines its models based on observation. Early models, based on Newtonian mechanics, were highly accurate but failed to perfectly account for subtle irregularities observed over long periods. Specifically, the slight shift in the closest approach point of Mercury to the Sun, known as the perihelion precession, required the incorporation of Einstein's theory of General Relativity to achieve perfect agreement between theoretical predictions and observational data. This shift from older models to relativity is cited as a prime example of science self-correcting when observational data demands greater precision.
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