Atlas2,289 of 3,915

Free-fall F37

(1, 0.8, 0.4)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F37 (1, 0.8, 0.4) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 1 : 0.8 : 0.4 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 6.447 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 11113), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0000985 of each other at a top speed of 104, line up 30 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 7.7×10⁻²³.

Measured over one period

Period: 6.446981776
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.4
Energy: -1.84458
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 9.9×10⁻⁵
Top speed: 103.6
Path length: 20.306
Alignments per period: 30
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 1.1×10⁵)
Loop closure: 7.7×10⁻²³

Neighbours on the map

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