On the period of the periodic orbits of the restricted three body problem

Abstract

We will show that the period T of a closed orbit of the planar circular restricted three body problem (viewed on rotating coordinates) depends on the region it encloses. Roughly speaking, we show that, $2 T=k\pi +\int _\Omega g$ where k is an integer, $\Omega$ is the region enclosed by the periodic orbit and $g:{\mathbb {R}}^2\rightarrow {\mathbb {R}}$ is a function that only depends on the constant C known as the Jacobian constant; it does not depend on $\Omega$. This theorem has a Keplerian flavor in the sense that it relates the period with the space “swept” by the orbit. As an application we prove that there is a neighborhood around $L_4$ such that every periodic solution contained in this neighborhood must move clockwise. The same result holds true for $L_5$.