Created in MicroStation http://www.Bentley.com ; this clip was made to mark the recent conjunction of planets Venus, Jupiter and Mercury. It shows a single planet's (Venus) motion as observed from the Earth. First, the idealized or 'synchronized' motion with Earth's year shortened by about 2 hours 42 minutes. This gives 13 orbits of Venus in 8 years, giving a CLOSED Epicyclic pattern repeating every 8 years. Then the actual periods are used with alter the pattern that would take a very long time to close (and hence repeat). Finally the simple arithmetical explanation of LCM (Least Common Multiple) underlying the rarity of astronomical phenomenon is given.

More videos from Dance of Planet Series:
Jupiter:    • Orbit of Jupiter Dance of Planets  
Saturn & Jupiter:    • Dance of Planets  Saturn