Atlas1,493 of 3,942

II.C.238

From Li & Liao (2017)

II.C.238 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 148.36 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 903.1), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000795 of each other at a top speed of 35.5, line up 170 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.4×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 148.3551210
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.42212
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 8.0×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 35.50
Path length: 362.01
Alignments per period: 170
Topology: ababABAbabABAbabABAbabABAbabABabaBABabaBABabaBABabaBABababABAbabABAbabABAbaBABababABAbaBABabaBABabaBAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 903.1)
Loop closure: 4.4×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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