Atlas182 of 3,942

Moth VIIa.13.A

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

Moth VIIa.13.A is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 86.418 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Symmetric moths whose wings meet along a luminous seam. It is unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 13.83), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.0268 of each other at a top speed of 6.12, line up 82 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 4.7×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 86.41801287
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.27718
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.02681
Top speed: 6.115
Path length: 211.11
Alignments per period: 82
Topology: abaBAbabABabABAbaBAbaBABabABabaBAbabABabABAbaBABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: unstable (|λ|max 13.83)
Loop closure: 4.7×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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