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Free-fall F20

(1, 0.1, 0.01)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F20 (1, 0.1, 0.01) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 1 : 0.1 : 0.01 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 4.3626 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 16146), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00000228 of each other at a top speed of 486, line up 32 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.2×10⁻²¹.

Measured over one period

Period: 4.362558058
Masses: 1 : 0.1 : 0.01
Energy: -0.114631
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 2.3×10⁻⁶
Top speed: 486.1
Path length: 9.6634
Alignments per period: 32
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 16146)
Loop closure: 2.2×10⁻²¹

Neighbours on the map

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