Finiteness of planar central configurations of five bodies for all positive masses: On Smale's sixth problem

Abstract

Combining local boundary analysis, algebraic curves and the computational statements specified in the appendix, we prove that the planar Newtonian five-body problem has finitely many central configurations up to rotation, translation and scaling for every choice of positive masses. This gives the five-body statement of Smale's sixth problem. We use the singular-sequence classification of Albouy and Kaloshin and resolve the corresponding boundary equations through weighted blow-up charts, rank calculations and local compatibility conditions. For the two remaining diagrams, we prove that the product $\Delta$ of all squared mutual distances vanishes. On a hypothetical solution curve containing a positive arc, a pole of a four-product therefore gives a zero of $\Delta$. A pole of $\Delta$ elsewhere on the completed curve, together with ${\Delta }^4={\prod }_{i<j}{p}_{ij}$, then contradicts the same local vanishing result. The computational statements for Diagrams~2, 3 and~6 involve exact algebra, interval arithmetic and ball arithmetic.

arXiv comment89 pages. The initial version of this paper was submitted to arXiv on October 5, 2026 (submission ID: 8179056). Shortly thereafter, arXiv:2610.13100 and arXiv.2610.28168 appeared reporting identical results