Atlas170 of 3,942

Moth IVc.8.B

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

Moth IVc.8.B is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 57.988 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Moth-like shapes from a third topological class. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 127.7), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0131 of each other at a top speed of 8.75, line up 58 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.6×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 57.98825566
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.31542
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.01312
Top speed: 8.751
Path length: 141.27
Alignments per period: 58
Topology: abaBAbabABabaBAbabABabaBAbabABAbaBAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 127.7)
Loop closure: 4.6×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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