Atlas89 of 3,915

Moth IVa.12.D

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

Moth IVa.12.D is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 98.867 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 2867), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00741 of each other at a top speed of 11.7, line up 78 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 3.8×10⁻²⁶.

Measured over one period

Period: 98.86747291
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.13195
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.007409
Top speed: 11.68
Path length: 226.59
Alignments per period: 78
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 2867)
Loop closure: 3.8×10⁻²⁶

Neighbours on the map

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