Atlas106 of 3,915

Moth IVa.12.A

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

Moth IVa.12.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 77.243 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 2412), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.026 of each other at a top speed of 6.22, line up 76 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.3×10⁻²⁸.

Measured over one period

Period: 77.24268120
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.31698
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.02602
Top speed: 6.219
Path length: 199.55
Alignments per period: 76
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 2412)
Loop closure: 1.3×10⁻²⁸

Neighbours on the map

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