Atlas2,492 of 3,942

Free-fall F6

(0.393, 0.288, 0.662)

From Li & Liao (2019)

Free-fall F6 (0.393, 0.288, 0.662) is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three masses in the ratio 0.393 : 0.288 : 0.662 that return to their starting positions and velocities every 5.0927 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 1012), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00106 of each other at a top speed of 29.6, line up 26 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.7×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 5.092724086
Masses: 0.393 : 0.288 : 0.662
Energy: -0.965969
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.001062
Top speed: 29.62
Path length: 13.729
Alignments per period: 26
Topology: 0 (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 1012)
Loop closure: 4.7×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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