This software presents solutions for the 3 bodies problem in celestial mechanics. It provides visual aids and simulations to illustrate different possible outcomes.
ThreeBody is an impressive application that is currently working in Version 1.02 under Mac OS 7.6-9.2 or Mac OS X in Classic mode. However, its most recent release, Version 2.01, is now available and operating under Mac OS X Tiger and Leopard, as well as under Windows 98/XP/Vista.
The primary purpose of ThreeBody is to serve as a scientific program that caters to the general public. Its core objective is to remind us of a fundamental idea, which is that even in the case of a perfectly deterministic problem such as the law of gravitation (le law in 1/r^2 from Isaac Newton), when dealing with more than two bodies (planets), it becomes impossible to predict the asymtotic behavior (in the long range) of the system.
This software shows that even in the case of a simple deterministic situation, the liberty is still alive. ThreeBody demonstrates three particular cases where the 3 planets have the same mass. The first two cases are classic ones, and very special in the sense that the trajectories are close and "stable" - the Case of Lagrange (18th century), and the Case of A. Chenciner & R. Montgomery (1999). The third situation is arbitrary, where you have the option to specify your initial conditions and discover the infinite variety of possible trajectories.
Overall, ThreeBody is an exceptional software that caters to both the scientific community and the general public. With its user-friendly interface and innovative approach towards scientific exploration, it's definitely worth checking out.
The primary purpose of ThreeBody is to serve as a scientific program that caters to the general public. Its core objective is to remind us of a fundamental idea, which is that even in the case of a perfectly deterministic problem such as the law of gravitation (le law in 1/r^2 from Isaac Newton), when dealing with more than two bodies (planets), it becomes impossible to predict the asymtotic behavior (in the long range) of the system.
This software shows that even in the case of a simple deterministic situation, the liberty is still alive. ThreeBody demonstrates three particular cases where the 3 planets have the same mass. The first two cases are classic ones, and very special in the sense that the trajectories are close and "stable" - the Case of Lagrange (18th century), and the Case of A. Chenciner & R. Montgomery (1999). The third situation is arbitrary, where you have the option to specify your initial conditions and discover the infinite variety of possible trajectories.
Overall, ThreeBody is an exceptional software that caters to both the scientific community and the general public. With its user-friendly interface and innovative approach towards scientific exploration, it's definitely worth checking out.
What's New
Version 2.01: N/A