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Moth IVa.4.B

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

Moth IVa.4.B is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 25.051 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 30.94), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0159 of each other at a top speed of 7.92, line up 28 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.6×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 25.05056286
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.42880
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.01595
Top speed: 7.920
Path length: 65.276
Alignments per period: 28
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 30.94)
Loop closure: 1.6×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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