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Free-fall F27

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F27 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 10.334 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 84014), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000519 of each other at a top speed of 44, line up 82 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 8.5×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 10.33408840
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -5.09800
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 5.2×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 44.05
Path length: 45.090
Alignments per period: 82
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 84014)
Loop closure: 8.5×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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