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Moth IVa.8.C

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

Moth IVa.8.C is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 78.087 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 68.57), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0115 of each other at a top speed of 9.41, line up 52 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.3×10⁻²⁶.

Measured over one period

Period: 78.08693632
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.01429
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.01150
Top speed: 9.406
Path length: 171.26
Alignments per period: 52
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 68.57)
Loop closure: 2.3×10⁻²⁶

Neighbours on the map

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