Atlas164 of 3,915

Moth IVc.18.A

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

Moth IVc.18.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 81.151 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Moth-like shapes from a third topological class. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 1.024), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00145 of each other at a top speed of 26.2, line up 124 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.4×10⁻²⁶.

Measured over one period

Period: 81.15058335
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.71894
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.001454
Top speed: 26.23
Path length: 216.47
Alignments per period: 124
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 1.024)
Loop closure: 2.4×10⁻²⁶

Neighbours on the map

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