US Naval Observatory Total Solar Eclipse Expedition, in Baker, Oregon, USA, ready for the total solar eclipse of the 8th June 1918. It was hoped that observations from this eclipse would confirm Einstein's theory of general relativity. If correct the stars near the Sun would appear slightly shifted because their light would be curved by its gravitational field. This shift is only noticeable during a solar eclipse as at other times the Sun's brightness obscures the stars. However, cloud cover at the moment of totality prevented observation of the stars. Einstein's theory was confirmed with observations from the solar eclipse of 29th May 1919.