Atlas156 of 3,942

Moth IVc.16.A

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

Moth IVc.16.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 77.84 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Moth-like shapes from a third topological class. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 2.456), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.000179 of each other at a top speed of 74.8, line up 112 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.1×10⁻²⁴.

Measured over one period

Period: 77.83990443
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.64152
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 1.8×10⁻⁴
Top speed: 74.78
Path length: 198.27
Alignments per period: 112
Topology: ababABAbabABAbabaBABabaBABAbabABAbabaBABabaBABababABAbabABABabaBAB (free-group class)
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 2.456)
Loop closure: 2.1×10⁻²⁴

Neighbours on the map

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