Atlas2,340 of 3,915

Free-fall F5

(1, 0.8, 0.4)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F5 (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 2.4051 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 4723), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000176 of each other at a top speed of 77.6, line up 16 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.6×10⁻²³.

Measured over one period

Period: 2.405076759
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.4
Energy: -2.26391
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.8×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 77.59
Path length: 8.2163
Alignments per period: 16
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 4723)
Loop closure: 2.6×10⁻²³

Neighbours on the map

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