Bode\'s law

[boh-duhz]

Bode's law

[boh-duhz]
noun Astronomy.
a numerical scheme that gives the approximate distance from the sun of the seven inner planets but fails for Neptune and Pluto (now considered a dwarf planet).
Also called Titius-Bode law.


Origin:
1825–35; after Johann E. Bode (1747–1826), German astronomer, though probably first formulated by Johann D. Titius (Tietz) (1729–96)
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Bode's law is always a great word to know.
So is star. Does it mean:
a number of heavenly bodies associated and acting together according to certain natural laws
a celestial body with a mass of gas that is hot enough to produce and sustain nuclear fusion, thus producing luminosity
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World English Dictionary
Bode's law (bəʊdz)
 
n
astronomy an empirical rule relating the distances of the planets from the sun, based on the numerical sequence 0, 3, 6, 12, 24,…. Adding 4 to each number and dividing by 10 gives the sequence 0.4, 0.7, 1, 1.6, 2.8,…, which is a reasonable representation of distances in astronomical units for most planets if the minor planets are counted as a single entity at 2.8
 
[named after Johann Elert Bode (1747--1826), who in 1772 published the law, formulated by Johann Titius in 1766]

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