Atlas187 of 3,942

Moth VIIa.7.Aα

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

Moth VIIa.7.Aα is a periodic orbit of the planar three-body problem: three equal masses that return to their starting positions and velocities every 47.201 time units, published by Šuvakov & Dmitrašinović (2013). Symmetric moths whose wings meet along a luminous seam. It is weakly unstable (largest Floquet multiplier 1.151), so a small nudge makes it unravel over a few periods. The bodies pass within 0.00675 of each other at a top speed of 12.2, line up 44 times a period, and the computed loop closes to 5.5×10⁻²⁷.

Measured over one period

Period: 47.20133986
Masses: 1 : 1 : 1
Energy: -1.26320
Angular momentum: 0
Closest approach: 0.006745
Top speed: 12.19
Path length: 114.94
Alignments per period: 44
Topology: abaBAbabABabABAbaBAbaBABabAB (free-group class)
Stability: weakly unstable (|λ|max 1.151)
Loop closure: 5.5×10⁻²⁷

Neighbours on the map

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