Atlas2,397 of 3,942

Free-fall F25

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F25 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 5.781 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 15052), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00001 of each other at a top speed of 316, line up 82 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.5×10⁻²⁰.

Measured over one period

Period: 5.781040478
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -6.45026
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.0×10⁻⁵
Top speed: 316.1
Path length: 24.371
Alignments per period: 82
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 15052)
Loop closure: 4.5×10⁻²⁰

Neighbours on the map

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