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Free-fall F6

(1, 0.8, 0.8)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F6 (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 5.5072 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 3273), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000595 of each other at a top speed of 42.2, line up 24 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.3×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 5.507227496
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.8
Energy: -2.73175
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 6.0×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 42.16
Path length: 18.424
Alignments per period: 24
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 3273)
Loop closure: 2.3×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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