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Beyond Jupiter, The World of Distant Minor Planets: (28978) IXION
JOA 2018, Vol. 8, No. 2, Page 16 Author(s): Nikolai WünscheAbstract: Discovered in 2001 by the Deep Ecliptic Survey, (28978) Ixion was estimated to be as large as the dwarf planet Ceres. This made Ixion a prime target for planetary scientists. Observations in the far infrared revealed that Ixion is much smaller than previously thought. The newly-found diameter of 617 km leads to an unusually high albedo of > 0.15.The best way to uncover Ixion’s true size and shape would be observations of stellar occultations by Ixion. There were many attempts, but only one observation with just a single chord was successful. Due to its southern declination,it's now up to the observers in the southern hemisphere to uncover Ixion's secrets.