The ancients had determined, for example, a synodic period of 584.4 days for Venus, 377 days for Saturn, and 395.4 for Jupiter. Modern astronomers have confirmed that these calculations were very close to the mark.
其中記錄了太陽、地球與金星走在一直線上需要五百八十四・四天，日、地、土星連珠則需三百七十七天……，都與今天經過科學驗證的數字相去不遠。