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Dragonfly II.17.D

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

Dragonfly II.17.D is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 94.2 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 3.668), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000987 of each other at a top speed of 31.8, line up 102 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.2×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 94.19953182
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.40206
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 9.9×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 31.83
Path length: 242.64
Alignments per period: 102
Topology: aaBAbaBAbaBAbbABabABabAAbaBAbaBAbaBBabABabABaaBAbaBAbaBAbbABabABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 3.668)
Loop closure: 1.2×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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