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Why is Bode's Law so predictable?
http://www.astro.corn...stro201/bodes_law.htm
Is there a reason why planets seem to obey the spacing as predicted by Bode's Law? It must be more than a mathematical fluke!
Is there a reason why planets seem to obey the spacing as predicted by Bode's Law? It must be more than a mathematical fluke!
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No best answer has yet been selected by rov1100. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Well it's not really
Not by any scientific measuremeny - it's often out 5% and really breaks down badly past Uranus.
It would be better named Bode's approximation
There's some disagreement whether or not its a coincidence we only have really good data on one planetary system if there were good enough data to show a similar linear relationship about another star it would get more weight.
Assuming it is not a relationship it would most likely be due to resonance effects when a cloud collapses into a solar system.
But the jury's still out on this one
Not by any scientific measuremeny - it's often out 5% and really breaks down badly past Uranus.
It would be better named Bode's approximation
There's some disagreement whether or not its a coincidence we only have really good data on one planetary system if there were good enough data to show a similar linear relationship about another star it would get more weight.
Assuming it is not a relationship it would most likely be due to resonance effects when a cloud collapses into a solar system.
But the jury's still out on this one
Bode's Law cannot be relevant to the formation of the planets. The planets that we know have moved from their original orbits, (the gas giants especially far), Neptune and Uranus at least have exchanged relative positions. Other planets formed have been lost, through collision or leaving the solar system.
It seems just chance that, at present, some orbital distances fit a simple numerical sequence.
It seems just chance that, at present, some orbital distances fit a simple numerical sequence.
By the way, read rov1100's link with care.
It starts by stating Bode's Law, which is about the DISTANCE of the planets from the Sun. But the charts at the bottom, which the author claims demonstrates the accuracy of the Law, are about orbital PERIODS. The relationship there between distance and orbital period is no mystery, it follows from Newton's laws of motion and his theory of gravity.
It starts by stating Bode's Law, which is about the DISTANCE of the planets from the Sun. But the charts at the bottom, which the author claims demonstrates the accuracy of the Law, are about orbital PERIODS. The relationship there between distance and orbital period is no mystery, it follows from Newton's laws of motion and his theory of gravity.
Ah no Johnathon
If there's a resonance effect it wouldn't fit the exact distances that the planets are now but Bode's law basically says there's a linear relationship the specific numbers (whether it's a 4 or a 5 youd divide by ) are not important
He fitted the formula to known data at the time.
The later discovered Uranus fitted well but Neptune did not.
If there's a resonance effect it wouldn't fit the exact distances that the planets are now but Bode's law basically says there's a linear relationship the specific numbers (whether it's a 4 or a 5 youd divide by ) are not important
He fitted the formula to known data at the time.
The later discovered Uranus fitted well but Neptune did not.
Talking of beautiful formulae my favourite is Euler's identity:
http://en.wikipedia.o...y#Mathematical_beauty
It brings together three seemingly unconnected special numbers in maths: e, i and pi
e is Euler's number, the base of natural logarithms (2.718...),
i is the imaginary unit, the square root of -1,
pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter
http://en.wikipedia.o...y#Mathematical_beauty
It brings together three seemingly unconnected special numbers in maths: e, i and pi
e is Euler's number, the base of natural logarithms (2.718...),
i is the imaginary unit, the square root of -1,
pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter
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