Atlas3 of 3,942

Figure-8 V.14.A

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

Figure-8 V.14.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 71.011 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Three equal masses chase each other along a single figure-eight curve, the most famous choreography. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 2.280), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.346 of each other at a top speed of 1.78, line up 84 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 2.7×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 71.01066300
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.49125
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.3457
Top speed: 1.777
Path length: 198.54
Alignments per period: 84
Topology: (abAB)¹⁴ (free-group class)
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 2.280)
Loop closure: 2.7×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

All Figure-8 orbits, the families of periodic three-body orbits, or the atlas map.