Atlas1,433 of 3,942

II.C.255

From Li & Liao (2017)

II.C.255 is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 180.16 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 2898), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0075 of each other at a top speed of 11.6, line up 186 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.1×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 180.1580643
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.35966
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.007504
Top speed: 11.55
Path length: 469.41
Alignments per period: 186
Topology: aaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBBabABabABabABabABabAAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbbABabABabABabABabABaaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbbABabABabABabABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 2898)
Loop closure: 4.1×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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