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Free-fall F11

(0.6, 0.8, 1)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F11 (0.6, 0.8, 1) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 0.6 : 0.8 : 1 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 2.3183 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 118.5), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00000406 of each other at a top speed of 523, line up 30 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.5×10⁻²¹.

Measured over one period

Period: 2.318258103
Masses: 0.6 : 0.8 : 1
Energy: -4.48947
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 4.1×10⁻⁶
Top speed: 523.0
Path length: 9.1803
Alignments per period: 30
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 118.5)
Loop closure: 1.5×10⁻²¹

Neighbours on the map

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