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btillytoday at 3:39 PM1 replyview on HN

https://numericaltank.sjtu.edu.cn/three-body/three-body.htm shows that there are three dimensional solutions.

We have no observed examples in nature of three body equilibrium. But then again, all places we have looked are either influenced by the chaotic orbits around them of the Solar System, our surrounding galaxy, or nearby galaxies in a cluster.

There aren't a lot of orbiting three bodies without external gravitational influences disturbing them.


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IAmBroomtoday at 6:17 PM

> There aren't a lot of orbiting three bodies without external gravitational influences disturbing them.

This is of course a relative statement. Every object affects every other object, subject to the limitations of lightspeed propagation of gravity waves through expanding space.

But as you point out, we still haven't noticed any examples that are stable short-term.

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