Atlas1,390 of 3,942

II.C.38

From Li & Liao (2017)

II.C.38 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 98.602 time units, published by Li & Liao (2017). The largest class in the atlas: hundreds of II.C orbits for seven mass ratios. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 2658), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.015 of each other at a top speed of 8.17, line up 94 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.0×10⁻²⁶.

Measured over one period

Period: 98.60232171
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.28994
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.01496
Top speed: 8.174
Path length: 253.19
Alignments per period: 94
Topology: abaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbabABabABabABabABabABabABabABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 2658)
Loop closure: 1.0×10⁻²⁶

Neighbours on the map

All II.C orbits, the families of periodic three-body orbits, or the atlas map.