Atlas2,504 of 3,942

Free-fall F55

(1, 0.8, 0.6)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F55 (1, 0.8, 0.6) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 1 : 0.8 : 0.6 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 7.8347 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 41425), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0016 of each other at a top speed of 23.4, line up 36 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.9×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 7.834678763
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.6
Energy: -2.25346
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.001596
Top speed: 23.35
Path length: 25.711
Alignments per period: 36
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 41425)
Loop closure: 4.9×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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