Why the three-body problem is not actually impossible to solve

The three-body problem is often cited as unsolvable, but this is a misconception. While adding a third gravitational body to a system creates chaotic motion, physicists have developed numerous ingenious methods to solve it over the last three centuries.

In 1687, Isaac Newton’s Principia introduced equations of motion and gravity that suggested the cosmos functioned like a predictable clockwork machine. Newton’s framework allows for precise calculations of planetary positions, provided there are only two bodies interacting in isolation. However, introducing a third body disrupts this simplicity, causing motion to become fundamentally chaotic in most scenarios.

Despite the common claim that the three-body problem is impossible, it has been solved many times using various creative techniques. These solutions range from the highly practical to the bizarre, marking over 300 years of ongoing scientific effort to map the complex gravitational interactions that defy simple, universal formulas.

Source: Solving the Three Body Problem