This reinterpretation of cosmic phenomena invites a critical reassessment of how we decipher the universe's underlying mechanisms. By attributing the observed accelerated expansion to geometric and observational effects, rather than an enigmatic form of energy, we open the door to refined models of cosmological behavior. These models align closely with empirical observations without invoking exotic concepts.

At the exact moment when a star emits photons in vacuum, these share the conditions at emission of the star’s path. A passenger leaving a car advancing at a constant speed of 100 km/hour will be severely injured when hitting the road. Photons reaching an observer thereby deliver a copy of the star’s path superposed to the path parameters calculated by the observer and result in a doubling of the deflection angle of light by the sun determined from non-relativistic Newtonian gravitation. That total angle matches the empirical evidence to the precision of 10 to the power -4.

A close examination reveals that these non-relativistic special view effects are embedded in General Relativity. They are calculated by the pseudo-Riemannian geometry which describes intrinsic views including the delivery of information to the observer by rays of light. This means that the success of General Relativity is not due to space curved by energy, but rather to such view effects.

In the solar system, where non-relativistic speeds apply, light sent from earth, reflected by planets and bent by the sun on its way back to earth, matches the same empirical evidence. At these speeds, the reciprocal Lorentz factor responsible for relativistic length contractions is of one less a maximum of 5 to the power -9 and generates a negligible impact on the total deflection angle which cannot originate from a relativistic contribution, confirming that Newtonian gravitation applies. Newtonian gravitation accelerates photons in vacuum as required to bend light and is not relativistic.

Newtonian gravitation is fully represented by its binding energy as it exchanges kinetic energy and excludes energy exchanges between rest masses. When supposing that the total bending of light originates only from Newtonian gravitation and with no contribution from the above mechanism which gives the illusion that an interaction is the cause, the involved energy would be four times higher than necessary to bend light. This order of magnitude matches the impact of dark energy which is redundant.

The doubling of the angle results in an expansion of the image recorded by the observer, which has been interpreted as originating from an expansion of the universe due to dark energy instead of due to special view effects.

The manuscript ‘Relativity and View Effects’ gives a much more detailed description and is available from bernardfischli@gmail.com.