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Moth IVa.8.B

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

Moth IVa.8.B is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 79.212 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 15.42), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0873 of each other at a top speed of 3.48, line up 52 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 5.1×10⁻²⁹.

Measured over one period

Period: 79.21248490
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.00466
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.08728
Top speed: 3.483
Path length: 173.05
Alignments per period: 52
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 15.42)
Loop closure: 5.1×10⁻²⁹

Neighbours on the map

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