Atlas102 of 3,915

Moth IVa.8.J

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

Moth IVa.8.J is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 61.416 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 4.844), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0138 of each other at a top speed of 8.5, line up 52 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 9.9×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 61.41596466
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.19049
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.01384
Top speed: 8.501
Path length: 149.15
Alignments per period: 52
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 4.844)
Loop closure: 9.9×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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