Atlas203 of 3,942

Broucke A16

From Broucke (1975)

Broucke A16 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 90.871 time units, published by Broucke (1975). Broucke’s 1975 retrograde family: a binary and a third body circling it, the binary turning one way and the third body’s orbit the other; several are linearly stable. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 26322), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 1.44 of each other at a top speed of 0.848, line up 14 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 7.7×10⁻¹⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 90.87113631
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -0.468867
Angular momentum: 1.0931
Closest approach: 1.442
Top speed: 0.8476
Path length: 135.82
Alignments per period: 14
Topology: a (free-group class, read from the drawing, shape period T/7)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 26322)
Loop closure: 7.7×10⁻¹⁷

Neighbours on the map

All Broucke A orbits, the families of periodic three-body orbits, or the atlas map.