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Free-fall F17

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F17 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 8.1068 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 30962), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00015 of each other at a top speed of 82, line up 42 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 6.7×10⁻²⁴.

Measured over one period

Period: 8.106805692
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -3.83034
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.5×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 82.01
Path length: 31.429
Alignments per period: 42
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 30962)
Loop closure: 6.7×10⁻²⁴

Neighbours on the map

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