Atlas86 of 3,915

Moth IVa.8.K

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

Moth IVa.8.K is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 81.689 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Broad, fringed wings built from many overlapping passes. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 7106), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00354 of each other at a top speed of 16.8, line up 56 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.6×10⁻²⁵.

Measured over one period

Period: 81.68917024
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.03117
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.003542
Top speed: 16.80
Path length: 172.23
Alignments per period: 56
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 7106)
Loop closure: 1.6×10⁻²⁵

Neighbours on the map

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