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Free-fall F38

(1, 0.1, 0.01)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F38 (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 18.323 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 21271), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00000141 of each other at a top speed of 1138, line up 30 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.6×10⁻¹⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 18.32298157
Masses: 1 : 0.1 : 0.01
Energy: -0.116894
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.4×10⁻⁶
Top speed: 1138
Path length: 32.295
Alignments per period: 30
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 21271)
Loop closure: 1.6×10⁻¹⁵

Neighbours on the map

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