Phi and the Solar System
Certain solar system orbital periods are related to phi
Certain planets of our solar system seem to exhibit a
relationship to phi, as shown by the following table of the time it takes to orbit around
the Sun: |
|
| |
Mercury |
Venus |
Earth |
Jupiter |
Saturn |
| Power of Phi |
-3 |
-1 |
0 |
5 |
7 |
| Decimal Result |
0.24 |
0.62 |
1.0 |
11.1 |
29.0 |
| Actual Period |
0.24 |
0.62 |
1.0 |
11.9 |
29.5 |
|
Saturn's rings are divided at two phi points
|
The Cassini division in the rings of Saturn falls at the Golden Section of the width
of the ring. |
A closer look at Saturn's rings reveals a darker inner
ring which exhibits the same golden section proportion as the
brighter outer ring.
|
Venus and Earth reveal a phi relationship
Venus and the Earth are linked in an unusual relationship involving
phi. Start by letting Mercury represent the basic unit of orbital
distance and period in the solar system:
| Planet |
Distance
from
the sun
in km (000) |
Distance
where
Mercury
equals 1 |
Period
where
Mercury
equals 1 |
| Mercury |
57,910 |
1.0000 |
1.0000 |
| Venus |
108,200 |
1.8684 |
2.5490 |
| Earth |
149,600 |
2.5833 |
4.1521 |
Curiously enough we find:
Φ Period of Venus * Phi =
Distance of the Earth
Φ 2.5490 * 1.6180339 = 1.5966 *
1.6180339 = 2.5833
See more relationships at the Solar
Geometry site.
Relative planetary distances average to Phi
The average of the mean orbital distances of each successive planet in
relation to the one before it approximates phi:
|
Planet
|
Mean
distance
in million
kilometers
per NASA |
Relative
mean
distance
where
Mercury=1 |
|
Mercury |
57.91 |
1.00000 |
|
Venus |
108.21 |
1.86859 |
|
Earth |
149.60 |
1.38250 |
|
Mars |
227.92 |
1.52353 |
|
Ceres |
413.79 |
1.81552 |
|
Jupiter |
778.57 |
1.88154 |
|
Saturn |
1,433.53 |
1.84123 |
|
Uranus |
2,872.46 |
2.00377 |
|
Neptune |
4,495.06 |
1.56488 |
|
Pluto |
5,869.66 |
1.30580 |
|
Total |
|
16.18736 |
|
Average |
|
1.61874 |
|
Phi |
|
1.61803 |
|
Degree of variance |
(0.00043) |
Note: We sometimes forget about the asteroids when thinking of
the planets in our solar system. Ceres, the largest asteroid, is
nearly spherical, comprises over one-third the total mass of all the
asteroids and is thus the best of these minor planets to represent the
asteroid belt. (Insight on mean orbital distances contributed by
Bartau.)
|
