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Free-fall F60

(1, 0.8, 0.6)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F60 (1, 0.8, 0.6) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 1 : 0.8 : 0.6 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 8.6491 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 46691), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000164 of each other at a top speed of 87.2, line up 40 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 8.8×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 8.649085759
Masses: 1 : 0.8 : 0.6
Energy: -2.22962
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.6×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 87.22
Path length: 28.084
Alignments per period: 40
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 46691)
Loop closure: 8.8×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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