Atlas104 of 3,942

Moth IVa.12.C

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

Moth IVa.12.C is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 82.249 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 13.68), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0367 of each other at a top speed of 5.23, line up 76 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 6.4×10⁻²⁸.

Measured over one period

Period: 82.24927017
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.26298
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.03668
Top speed: 5.231
Path length: 208.12
Alignments per period: 76
Topology: abaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbaBAbabABabABabABabABabABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 13.68)
Loop closure: 6.4×10⁻²⁸

Neighbours on the map

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