Atlas107 of 3,942

Moth IVa.10.A

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

Moth IVa.10.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 68.554 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 18.81), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.038 of each other at a top speed of 5.14, line up 64 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 5.2×10⁻²⁸.

Measured over one period

Period: 68.55366703
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.27127
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.03803
Top speed: 5.139
Path length: 173.32
Alignments per period: 64
Topology: abaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbabABabABabABabABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 18.81)
Loop closure: 5.2×10⁻²⁸

Neighbours on the map

All Moth IVa orbits, the families of periodic three-body orbits, or the atlas map.