Atlas18 of 3,915

Figure-8 V.5.A

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

Figure-8 V.5.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 51.965 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 13.49), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.421 of each other at a top speed of 1.67, line up 30 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 1.4×10⁻²⁹.

Measured over one period

Period: 51.96450201
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -0.922789
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.4214
Top speed: 1.668
Path length: 111.10
Alignments per period: 30
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 13.49)
Loop closure: 1.4×10⁻²⁹

Neighbours on the map

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