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Dragonfly II.8.A

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

Dragonfly II.8.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 38.062 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Slim, elongated wings that stretch far from the centre of mass. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 90.84), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0145 of each other at a top speed of 8.34, line up 48 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.0×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 38.06205729
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.55290
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.01452
Top speed: 8.339
Path length: 102.42
Alignments per period: 48
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 90.84)
Loop closure: 1.0×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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