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II.C.51

From Li & Liao (2017)

II.C.51 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 70.506 time units, published by Li & Liao (2017). The largest class in the atlas: hundreds of II.C orbits for seven mass ratios. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 1.664), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0000465 of each other at a top speed of 147, line up 148 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.1×10⁻¹⁶.

Measured over one period

Period: 70.50628772
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -2.09589
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 4.6×10⁻⁵
Top speed: 146.7
Path length: 195.85
Alignments per period: 148
Topology: ababABAbabaBABababABAbabaBABababABABababABAbabABABabaBABAbabaBABAbabABABabaBABababABAB (free-group class)
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 1.664)
Loop closure: 1.1×10⁻¹⁶

Neighbours on the map

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