Ixion is one of three named "Trans-Neptunian Objects," small balls of frozen gas and rock which orbit the Sun in the Kuiper Belt, a region 30 to 50 AUs, or astronomical units, from the Sun (an astronomical unit is the distance from earth to the sun). This densely populated region of space may contain as many as 70,000 of these so-called "ice dwarves," loosely coalesced clumps of rocky material bound up with frozen gases such as methane and carbon dioxide (dry ice) as well as frozen water and methanol (alcohol ice).

If we think of the solar system as a vast organism, with the Sun as the heart and the planets as its other organs, then the Kuiper Belt objects can be seen as the organism's skin, its function both protective and interactive. The skin delimits our boundaries as individuals, but also allows us to interface with others, and the environment in general. The Trans-Neptunians may perform a similar function, regulating our system's interactions with the wider Universe of which it is a small but precious part, and providing each of us with our own unique access to the mysteries of the cosmos.

Ixion was discovered May 22, 2001, and was named for a Greek mythic character with a tradition rich in symbolism for astrologers to interpret. Ixion was a king of the Lapiths in ancient Thessaly, a descendant of the god Ares, and the first human to commit murder. After his misdeed (he killed his new father-in-law at the wedding banquet) he wandered an outcast until Zeus took pity on him and removed him to Olympus to arrange for divine purification for his crimes.

While a guest at the Olympian table, however, Ixion took a fancy to his host's wife, Hera. Zeus was appalled and in disbelief at this breach of hospitality, despite a rather chequered history in this area himself. Just to be certain, he fashioned a cloud in the exact likeness of Hera, which Ixion then seduced and impregnated. In punishment for his attempted violation of a goddess, Zeus bound Ixion to a flaming wheel in the heavens which spun in all directions, and forced him to eternally intone the phrase, "you should show gratitude to your benefactor."

To my knowledge no data has been collected on Ixion in charts, prior to this article. Based on the mythic context, I would expect to see it prominent in incidents of dramatic "firsts," as well as in the charts of serial killers or famous murderers or their victims, and possibly turn-coats or traitors.

And such would seem to be the case. I chose at random the birth data of ten convicted serial killers from the past half-century, plugged Ixion into their charts, and took a look. The results are enumerated below. [See note for specifics on aspects used in this research.*]

But first we can consider Ixion's effects by examining the news near the time of its discovery, and the continuing atmosphere of the times since. It has become apparent that as new energies are brought into full consciousness by the discovery of their governing celestial bodies, they emerge more obviously into the field of human experience.

Thus the discovery of Uranus, planet of rebellion and revolution, occurred in 1781, neatly parenthesized by the American and French Revolutions. Neptune's discovery coincided with the development of photography, the rise of spiritualism and the Theosophy movement, and experiments with electro-magnetism and hypnotism, all Neptunian arenas. Pluto's discovery in 1930 shortly brought us the splitting of the atom and genocide, as well as depth psychology. We have already seen in an earlier article on Quaoar, another Trans-Nep concerned with creation and procreation, how its emergence coincided with an increase in cloning capabilities [August 2003 Daykeeper].

So what of Ixion? Has there been any obvious increase in murder, for example, since its discovery on May 22, 2001? Actually, yes; particularly if one thinks of mass murder and suicide attacks.

Of course the most obvious incident is also the closest to Ixion's discovery: less than four months later, 19 Islamic Fundamentalist hijackers turned four American airplanes into jet-propelled engines of mass destruction, with the incredible devastation and loss of life in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Over 3000 people perished in a single day, a death toll figure eclipsing even the worst battles of the Civil War.

Since that time suicide bombings, once an Israeli exclusive and undoubtedly within Ixion's purview of mass murder, have expanded to Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Iraq, Turkey and elsewhere. Major al Qaeda attacks in Bali and Spain which claimed hundreds of lives are additional examples. This increased visibility and international scope can be attributed to Ixion's heightened role in the collective consciousness since its discovery.

But Ixion has been around forever, and just as earlier planetary discoveries can be subsequently plugged into existing charts and their effects determined, so with Ixion. Which brings us to the serial killers.

Ladies first. I began with Aileen Wuornos, America's most famous female serial killer and the subject of the Oscar-winning film "Monster." Born 29 February 1956, Aileen's life is a very sad story of abandonment, incest, rape, prostitution, misdemeanors and felonies. She is also suspected of killing seven men who hired her for sex, six of which she has confessed to, alleging self defense, and for four of which she has been sentenced to die for by the state of Florida. Ixion falls at 21 Libra in Aileen's chart, in exact opposition to Venus, an apt image for a female killer, and one who murders her 'lovers.' There is also a novile (40 degrees) to Saturn at 2 Sagittarius, and an exact semitredecile (54 degrees) to Pluto at 27 Leo, both planets which fill in the energies of sex and death very nicely.

John Wayne Gacy, the "Killer Clown," was convicted of the murders of 33 boys and young men, most of whom he subsequently stowed in the crawl space of his home. Gacy had been a respected businessman in his Waterloo, Iowa community, where he worked for charities and dressed as a clown to entertain at children's parties. His fetish for young males escalated to abduction, rape, torture and murder, until he was caught in 1978 following the disappearance of a 15-year-old who had gone to his home to discuss a summer job opportunity. Gacy was executed by lethal injection in 1994. Born 17 March 1942, Ixion falls at 7 Libra retrograde in the nativity. From there its strongest aspects are a trine to the Mars/Jupiter conjunction (showing a strong sexual appetite and perhaps boosting his kill count) at 6 and 13 Gemini, and a sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) to Saturn conjunct Black Hole Orpheus at 24 Taurus. Additional minor aspects include a septinovem (63 degrees) to Pluto retrograde conjunct Black Hole Merlin at 3 Leo, an exact transinovem (126 degrees) to Venus conjunct Black Hole Attis at 13 Aquarius, and a biquintile (144 degrees) to Mercury at 0 Pisces.

Ted Bundy, the "Campus Killer," is credited with 28 deaths in a years-long killing spree extending from Washington state to Florida, though the total number of deaths may be as high as 50. An atypical serial killer, Bundy was intelligent, cultured, good-looking and popular with women. His attacks on women were brutal and bloody, and usually followed up with sexual assault and necrophilic acts. Bundy was sent to the electric chair in Florida in 1989. Bundy was born 24 November 1946; Ixion falls at 12 Libra in his nativity, exactly conjunct Jupiter, and within a degree of Black Hole Nemesis at 13 Libra. Ixion is also closely conjunct Neptune at 10 Libra, sextile Pluto retrograde conjunct the Maser at 13 Leo (perhaps the source of his violence and the on/off quality of his personality), septinovem (63 degrees) to Saturn retrograde at 8 Leo, semisquare (45 degrees) Mercury retrograde at 25 Scorpio, and sextile Mars at 13 Sagittarius (thus falling on the Mars/Pluto midpoint).

Ed Kemper, the "Co-Ed Murderer," is credited with 8 deaths, though he has confessed to 10 in meticulous detail, among them two grandparents and his mother. Following the murders of his grandparents, Kemper was remanded to the custody of a California hospital for the criminally insane at age 15. After his release, Kemper abducted and murdered several college girls, and then his mother, after which he turned himself into police, who initially thought his was a crank call. Kemper is serving life without parole. Born 18 December 1948, Ixion falls at 14 Libra, exactly conjunct natal Neptune and within a degree of Black Hole Nemesis. Ixion is also sextile Pluto at 16 Leo, semisquare (45 degrees) Venus conjunct the Quasar at 27 Scorpio, quintile (72 degrees) the Sun conjunct the Galactic Center at 26 Sagittarius, and tredecile (108 degrees) Uranus at 28 Gemini retrograde.

Gary Ridgway, the "Green River Killer," has pled guilty to 48 murders over 20 years, mostly prostitutes, many of the bodies dumped in the Green River, Washington state. He is credited as the most prolific serial killer in US history, and is currently serving life without parole. Born 18 February 1949, Ixion falls at 14 Libra retrograde, exactly conjunct Neptune and within a degree of Black Hole Nemesis. Ixion is trine Venus at 15 Aquarius, sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) the Sun at 29 Aquarius, sextile Pluto at 15 Leo retrograde, novile (40 degrees) Saturn at 3 Virgo retrograde, crucinovem (99 degrees) Jupiter at 21 Capricorn, and tredecile (108 degrees) Uranus conjunct a Quasar at 25 Gemini retrograde.

David Berkowitz, the "Son of Sam," terrorized New York City in the summer of 1976, with six killings and 8 attempted murders. A prolific arsonist (he kept records of almost 1500 fires he started) and postal employee, Berkowitz maintained that he was given his instructions to kill by the demon dog of his neighbor Sam Carr. The black Labrador, Harvey, had no comment. Berkowitz pled guilty and is serving a 365 year sentence with no parole. Born 1 June 1953, Berkowitz' Ixion falls at 17 Libra retrograde, and is conjunct both Saturn at 20 Libra retrograde and Neptune at 21 Libra retrograde. Ixion is further transinovem (126 degrees) to the Sun at 10 Gemini, trine Mercury at 20 Gemini and Mars at 21 Gemini, sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) Jupiter at 5 Gemini, and tredecile (108 degrees) Uranus at 16 Cancer.

Richard Ramirez, the "Night Stalker," killed 14 and raped dozens more in a two-year rampage in the Los Angeles area in 1984-85. Unlike most serial killers, Ramirez' methods varied widely, from stabbing and strangulation to simple shooting, thus defying his detection as a serial killer for months. Recognized in a liquor store, he was chased and captured by an angry LA mob, and is currently awaiting the gas chamber on San Quentin's Death Row. Born 28 February 1960, Ixion falls at 25 Libra retrograde in the nativity. From there it is exactly inconjunct Mercury at 25 Pisces, sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) the Sun at 9 Pisces, exactly crucinovem (99 degrees) Mars at 4 Aquarius, and exactly binovile (80 degrees) Saturn at 15 Capricorn.

Jeffrey Dahmer, the "Milwaukee Cannibal," killed at least 16 boys and young men over a 13-year period. When his last victim escaped and notified police, officers found Dahmer's apartment filled with Polaroid photos of his victims' body parts, his fridge and freezer filled with human heads, and human brains simmering in tomato sauce on the stove. Sentenced to serve 15 consecutive life sentences plus ten years, Dahmer was beaten to death by a fellow inmate in 1994. Born 21 May 1960, Dahmer's Ixion falls at 23 Libra retrograde, from where it opposes Venus at 21 Aries, and is biquintile (144 degrees) to the Sun at 0 Gemini, sesquiquadrate (135 degrees) Mercury at 5 Gemini, and semisextile the North Node at 22 Virgo.

No survey of serial killers would be complete without John Mohammad and John Lee Malvo, the infamous "D.C. Sniper" killers who terrorized the vicinity of the nation's capitol for months in the autumn of 2002. The nation's attention was riveted on the Washington D.C. area as one by one 13 average citizens were picked off by the pair; Mohammad, a Gulf War veteran in his early 40's, and Malvo, an underage youth who looked up to the older man as a father figure. Ten of the shootings were fatal. Mohammad has received the death sentence from a Virginia court; Malvo has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Mohammad, the mastermind behind the killings, was born 31 December 1960; Ixion falls at 26 Libra in his nativity. From there it is sextile Uranus retrograde at 25 Leo, trine Venus conjunct a Quasar at 24 Aquarius, and quintile (72 degrees) to the Sun at 9 Capricorn. Malvo, who did most of the actual shooting, was born 18 February 1985; Ixion falls at 19 Scorpio retrograde, from where it is trinovem (27 degrees) to Uranus at 16 Sagittarius, semisquare (45 degrees) to Neptune at 2 Capricorn, quintile (72 degrees) to Jupiter at 2 Aquarius, crucinovem (99 degrees) to the Sun/Mercury conjunction at 29 Aquarius, and exactly biquintile (144 degrees) to Venus at 13 Aries.

Clearly, given the data above, Ixion does seem to have an effect in the arena of murder, especially shocking, brutal, and serial crimes. Once again myth matches reality, and the names chosen for these celestial bodies seem to be in some sense predestined or preordained.

* Note: One of the filters used to determine celestial contacts was a little-known aspect series called the "Novems," which I pioneered in the early '90's. These aspects divide the horoscope into forty 9-degree increments, and amongst their members are the high-profile square (90 degrees) and the opposition (180 degrees), as well as more shadowy "phase" aspects like the semisquare (45 degrees) and sesquiquadrate (135 degrees), and such lesser-known but commonly used aspects as the vigintile (18 degrees), decile (36 degrees), quintile (72 degrees), tredecile (108 degrees) and biquintile (144 degrees). Essentially, any number between 0 and 360 which is divisible by nine has an aspect relationship in this series.

I have found these aspects to be particularly useful in examining the influences of slow-moving bodies such as Black Holes and other Deep Space anomalies, which, since they remain for extended periods at each successive degree they transit, have the time to develop minor aspect relationships which a swiftly-moving body like the Moon cold not. I reasoned that the Trans-Neptunians, with their orbital periods of approximately 300 years, might respond to them as well. In general, for these minor aspects, an orb of no more than 1-2 degrees is standard for figuring contacts.