Atlas49 of 3,915

Dragonfly II.6.A

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

Dragonfly II.6.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 33.641 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 2.332), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0246 of each other at a top speed of 6.39, line up 36 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 3.3×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 33.64143066
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.39122
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.02456
Top speed: 6.390
Path length: 86.633
Alignments per period: 36
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 2.332)
Loop closure: 3.3×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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