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Free-fall F16

(1, 0.8, 0.8)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F16 (1, 0.8, 0.8) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 1 : 0.8 : 0.8 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 4.2566 time units, published by Li & Liao (2019). Three bodies released from rest fall together, swing past each other and return to rest exactly where they started. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 8267), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00000168 of each other at a top speed of 691, line up 36 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 8.7×10⁻¹⁹.

Measured over one period

Period: 4.256584862
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.8
Energy: -3.95280
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.7×10⁻⁶
Top speed: 690.9
Path length: 16.691
Alignments per period: 36
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 8267)
Loop closure: 8.7×10⁻¹⁹

Neighbours on the map

All Free-fall orbits, the families of periodic three-body orbits, or the atlas map.