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Titius-Bode Law

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

The Titius-Bode law is the statement that the semimajor axes of planetary orbits in the solar system follow approximately a geometric progression when going from the innermost to the outermost planets. There is no real physical explanation for this law, which stems from observation only and was first introduced by the German astronomers Johann Daniel Titius and Johann Elert Bode around 1770.

The formula for the semimajor axis a reads: \( a=\left(0.4+0.3\times {2}^n\right) \) with n = −∞, 0, 1, 2, 3, … and a in astronomical units.

The formula is fairly correct for the planets that were known when it was proposed, and it correctly predicted the approximate orbit of objects in the asteroid belt (assumed to be a failed planet) and Uranus. However, it failed for Neptune’s orbit. Note also that for Mercury n = −∞ which breaks the logics of the law.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LESIA, Observatoire Paris-Site de Meudon, 5 Pl Jules Janssen, 92195, Meudon, France

    Daniel Rouan

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  1. Daniel Rouan
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Correspondence to Daniel Rouan .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Rouan, D. (2014). Titius-Bode Law. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1596-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1596-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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