Atlas55 of 3,915

Dragonfly II.15.C

From Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Sequences of orbits from the Belgrade three-body gallery.

Dragonfly II.15.C is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 72.401 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Slim, elongated wings that stretch far from the centre of mass. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 3.286), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000208 of each other at a top speed of 69.4, line up 90 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.2×10⁻²⁴.

Measured over one period

Period: 72.40059773
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.53670
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 2.1×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 69.44
Path length: 185.76
Alignments per period: 90
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 3.286)
Loop closure: 1.2×10⁻²⁴

Neighbours on the map

All Dragonfly II orbits, the families of periodic three-body orbits, or the atlas map.