Atlas25 of 3,915

Figure-8 V.20.A

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

Figure-8 V.20.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 92.178 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 unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 29.95), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.222 of each other at a top speed of 2.25, line up 120 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.8×10⁻²⁸.

Measured over one period

Period: 92.17788156
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.58884
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.2215
Top speed: 2.254
Path length: 261.68
Alignments per period: 120
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 29.95)
Loop closure: 1.8×10⁻²⁸

Neighbours on the map

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