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28978 Ixion facts for kids

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28978 Ixion
Ixion planetoid nasa.jpg
Discovery
Discovered by Deep Ecliptic Survey
Discovery date 22 May, 2001
Designations
MPC designation 28978 Ixion
2001 KX76
TNO (plutino)
Orbital characteristics
Epoch 31 December, 2006 (JD 2 454 100.5)
Aphelion 7 370.503 Gm (49.269 AU)
Perihelion 4 501.495 Gm (30.091 AU)
5 935.999 Gm (39.680 AU)
Eccentricity 0.242
91 295.847 d (249.95 a)
4.66 km/s
268.546°
Inclination 19.584°
71.028°
298.779°
Physical characteristics
Dimensions ~650+260−220
< 822 km diameter
< 2.24×106 km²
Volume < 3.15×108 km³
Mass ≈3×1020? kg
Mean density
2.0? g/cm³
< 0.229 7? m/s²
< 0.434 6? km/s
? d
Albedo 0.15-0.37
Temperature ≈44 K
Spectral type
(moderately red; B-V=1.03, V-R=0.61)
19.6 (opposition)
3.2

28978 Ixion is a Kuiper belt object that was found on 22 May, 2001. Ixion is a plutino (an object that has a 2:3 orbital resonance with Neptune) and could be a dwarf planet. Astronomers think that it has a diameter of about 800 km, which makes it the third biggest plutino. It is named after Ixion, a figure from Greek mythology. Before it was named Ixion, it had the provisional designation 2001 KX76.


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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: (28978) Ixion para niños

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