28978 Ixion

This article is about the minor planet. For other uses, see Ixion (disambiguation).

28978 Ixion
Hubble Space Telescope image of Ixion taken in 2006[1]
Discovery[2]
Discovered byDeep Ecliptic Survey
Discovery siteCerro Tololo Obs.
Discovery date22 May 2001
Designations
(28978) Ixion
Pronunciation/ɪkˈsaɪ.ən/[3]
Named after
Ιξίων Ixīōn
2001 KX76
TNO · plutino[4] · distant[5]
AdjectivesIxionian /ɪksiˈoʊniən/[6]
Symbol or (astrological)
Orbital characteristics[2]
Epoch 17 December 2020 (JD 2459200.5)
Uncertainty parameter 3
Observation arc35.93 yr (13,122 days)
Earliest precovery date17 July 1982
Aphelion49.584 AU
Perihelion30.019 AU
39.802 AU
Eccentricity0.24579
251.11 yr (91,717 d)
289.587°
0° 0m 14.13s / day
Inclination19.600°
71.011°
≈ 24 September 2070[7]
±1 day
298.314°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions756.9 km × 684.9 km (projected, occultation)[8][9]
709.6±0.2 km[9]
12.4±0.3 h[10]
15.9±0.5 h[11]
0.108±0.002 geometric[12]
0.037±0.007 Bond[12]
Temperature64+0.7
−1.1 K[9]
IR (moderately red)[13][14]
B–V=1.009±0.051[15]
V–R=0.61±0.03[15]
V–I=1.146±0.086[15]
19.8[16]
3.774±0.021[17][12]
3.6 (assumed)[2][5]

28978 Ixion (/ɪkˈsaɪ.ən/, provisional designation 2001 KX76) is a large trans-Neptunian object and a possible dwarf planet. It is located in the Kuiper belt, a region of icy objects orbiting beyond Neptune in the outer Solar System. Ixion is classified as a plutino, a dynamical class of objects in a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune. It was discovered in May 2001 by astronomers of the Deep Ecliptic Survey at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and was announced in July 2001. The object is named after the Greek mythological figure Ixion, who was a king of the Lapiths.

In visible light, Ixion appears dark and moderately red in color due to organic compounds covering its surface. Water ice has been suspected to be present on Ixion's surface, but may exist in trace amounts hidden underneath a thick layer of organic compounds. Ixion has a measured diameter of 710 km (440 mi), making it the fourth-largest known plutino. Several astronomers have considered Ixion to be a possible dwarf planet,[18][19] whereas others consider it a transitional object between irregularly-shaped small Solar System bodies and spherical dwarf planets.[20] Ixion is currently not known to have a natural satellite, so its mass and density remain unknown.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hubble2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference jpldata was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Ixion". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020.
    "Ixion". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Buie was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MPC-object was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Ixionian". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Horizons2070 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Occ-profile-20201013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Levine2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Galiazzo2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rousselot2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Verbiscer2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Barucci2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fulchignoni2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Hainaut2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference AstDys was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference Alvarez-Candal2016 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference Tancredi2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brown-dplist was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference Grundy2019 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).