ˈbōdəz- noun
Usage: usually capitalized B
Etymology: after Johann E. Bode died 1826 German astronomer
: an empirical rule of astronomy: the approximate relative distances of most of the planets (excluding Mercury and Neptune but including the asteroid Ceres) from the sun are given in terms of the astronomical unit by means of the formula D =0.3(2) ( n -1) +0.4 where D is the distance and n is the number of the planet in order outward from the sun (as Venus=1)