Slice said
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Phil , if light had mass the effect of gravity would be to draw the light towards the object creating the gravity force, not around it as happens when gravity bends the space/time.
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The effect of gravity on light is exactly the same as it's effect on a body with mass, i.e. it deflects towards the gravitational field. The concept of light bending around a gravitational field is no different to that of a satellite, asteroid or any other body slingshotting around the gravitational field of our sun for example. Just because it's attracted by gravity doesn't mean it has to make a beeline (and collide with) that object. But let me shoot the light has mass theory in the foot. If light has mass, then why does a body continually absorbing light not increase in mass, and why does the body that emits the light not decrease in mass. But it's probably easy to accept that light can have mass without decreasing the mass of the body that emits (or absorbs) it if you accept the big bang theory.