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Free-fall F8

(1, 0.8, 0.6)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F8 (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 4.7962 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 5612), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00000356 of each other at a top speed of 507, line up 22 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.1×10⁻²¹.

Measured over one period

Period: 4.796190851
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.6
Energy: -1.97700
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 3.6×10⁻⁶
Top speed: 507.0
Path length: 13.135
Alignments per period: 22
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 5612)
Loop closure: 4.1×10⁻²¹

Neighbours on the map

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