It is shown that the deflection of star light passing by the Sun, which is allegedly explainable only by general relativity, can be understood quantitatively as a quasi-classical effect of light refraction in the vacuum polarized by the Sun’s gravitational field. The theory of the dielectric polarization of the vacuum proposed pre- viously is further developed for the corresponding effect of the polarization of the vacuum in a gravitational field. The resulting refractive index of the vacuum in the presence of a gravitational field gives for the deflection of light by the Sun an angle |0| = 1.77", which is in good agreement with the experimental observations and the result of general relativity. From the theory Presented, it can also be deduced that the velocity of a horizontal light beam at 1000 km above ground level of the Earth has a velocity deficit - c= 5.73 cm / s in comparison to the light velocity on the ground.
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