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Free-fall F14

(0.6, 0.8, 1)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F14 (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 2.1336 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 133), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00000133 of each other at a top speed of 914, line up 34 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.4×10⁻²⁰.

Measured over one period

Period: 2.133577048
Masses: 0.6 : 0.8 : 1
Energy: -5.12838
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.3×10⁻⁶
Top speed: 914.0
Path length: 8.8652
Alignments per period: 34
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 133.0)
Loop closure: 2.4×10⁻²⁰

Neighbours on the map

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