Ixion
Ixion information Average distance from Sun: 39.5391 AU km (0 AU) Perihelion (closest): 30.0009 AU km Perihelion (farthest): 49.0773 AU km Equatorial radius: < 411 km (Diameter: 0 km) Siderial orbit period (length of year): 248.6269 years earth days Orbital eccentricity: 0.2412 Orbital inclination to ecliptic: 19.6134 degrees Equatorial inclination to orbit: 264.7279 degrees		Ixion, Sun
Ixion Ixion (ik·sye'·un) is a Kuiper belt object discovered on May 22, 2001. With a diameter estimated at 800 km Ixion is the second largest plutino, i.e. it follows an orbit similar to Pluto in 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune. Little is known about this object. The object is moderately red (slightly redder than 50000 Quaoar) and has a higher albedo (0.15) compared with the mid-sized red classical objects: 0.10 and 0.04 for Quaoar and 20000 Varuna respectively (see colour comparisons). The latest spectroscopy results indicate that the Ixionian surface is a mixture of dark carbon and tholin, which is a heteropolymer formed by irradiation of clathrates of water and organic compounds (More on possible spectra interpretations). The infrared spectrum was found flat (did not show the red slope of Varuna) and water ice absobtion lines (1.5 and 2?m) were absent (Licandro et al. 2002). 28978 Ixion is named after Ixion, a figure from Greek mythology. It previously had the provisional designation 2001 KX76. Ixion and Pluto follow similar but differently oriented orbits. Ixion's perihelion is below the ecliptic. Uncharacteristically for the bodies locked in the resonance, Ixion approaches Pluto with less than 20 degrees angular separation. Ixion is currently crossing the ecliptic heading below, and will reach its perihelion in 2070. Pluto has passed the perihelion (1989) and is descending toward the ecliptic.
More Discovered by Deep Ecliptic Survey in 22 May 2001
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