OSP-based Programs for Advanced Physics:
Classical Orbit Demos

 

Three-body Orbits show four three-body orbits.  The Euler example shows a special solution determined by Euler in which all three masses always lie on a straight line.  The Lagrange example shows a special solution determined by Lagrange in which the objects maintain a geometric relationship to each other as vertices of a polygon.  In this case, the three objects are always at the vertices of an isosceles triangle (whose sides can change length).  The Montgomery example shows a stable orbit of three objects that orbit each other in a figure-eight pattern with all three objects tracing out the exact same orbital trajectory.  The Restricted Three-body example shows an example of this class of exactly-solvable problems.  Two objects with the same mass are in orbit around each other.  A third, much less massive, object also orbits, following one object around its orbit.