Solar Oblateness, Excess Brightness, and Relativity

Abstract

New observations show a small difference between the sun's polar and equatorial limb darkening functions. This excess equatorial brightness varies in time and can be of sufficient magnitude to account for the solar oblateness inferred by Dicke and Goldenberg from their measurements. This removes the serious consequence of their work for Einstein's general theory of relativity. The problems of a solar-edge definition and the derivation of a solar mass quadrupole moment are discussed.