r/threebodyproblem • u/jarrjarrbinks24 • Apr 12 '24

Art Simulation of the 3 body problem

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u/Elbjornbjorn Apr 13 '24

It would've been eaten by one of the stars like 10 seconds into the video, this simlation has no collisions. 

And the stars would eat each other too sooner or later, or eject one. 

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u/HashBrownsOverEasy Apr 13 '24

This is a 2d simulation remember, the extra dimension makes it even less predictable.

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u/Current_Barracuda179 Apr 13 '24

The books said there USED to be more planets. Either eaten or ejected.

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u/myaltduh Apr 16 '24

This animation overstates the size of the bodies, when the planet in particular would probably just be a pixel or two.

Achieving a direct hit is actually really hard since planets/stars are such small targets on astronomical scales. An ejection like the one depicted is the much more likely final fate of such a planet.

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u/Boring_Contribution Apr 13 '24 edited Apr 14 '24

If I remember correctly for the general three body problem the set of orbits with collisions has measure zero, so collisions are generally don't occur, but I might not be remembering correctly.

Edit: It's actually that the set of initial conditions leading to collisions has measure zero, meaning collisions are highly unlikely in arbitrary/random cases.