131 Vala

131 Vala is an inner main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on 24 May 1873, and derives its name from völva (vǫlva, literal translation"}]],"parts":[{"template":{"target":{"wt":"lit","href":"./Template:Lit"},"params":{"1":{"wt":"staff bearer"}},"i":0}}]}">lit. 'staff bearer'), a prophetess in Norse paganism.^[4] One observation of an occultation of a star by Vala is from Italy (26 May 2002). 10-μm radiometric data collected from Kitt Peak in 1975 gave a diameter estimate of 34 km.^[5]

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131 Vala

Orbital diagram
Discovery[1]
Discovered by	Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters
Discovery date	24 May 1873
Designations
MPC designation	(131) Vala
Pronunciation	/ˈvɑːlə/[2]
Named after	vǫlva
Alternative designations	A873 KA; 1945 KA; 1952 DS3; 1953 QE
Minor planet category	Main belt[1]
Orbital characteristics[1]
Epoch 31 July 2016 (JD 2457600.5)
Uncertainty parameter 0
Observation arc	142.88 yr (52187 d)
Aphelion	2.60 AU (388.64 Gm)
Perihelion	2.27 AU (338.99 Gm)
Semi-major axis	2.43 AU (363.82 Gm)
Eccentricity	0.068233
Orbital period (sidereal)	3.79 yr (1,385.3 d)
Average orbital speed	19.08 km/s
Mean anomaly	289.275°
Mean motion	0° 15m 35.532s / day
Inclination	4.9602°
Longitude of ascending node	65.682°
Argument of perihelion	160.641°
Earth MOID	1.26 AU (187.95 Gm)
Jupiter MOID	2.38 AU (355.52 Gm)
TJupiter	3.499
Physical characteristics
Dimensions	40.44±1.8 km[1]
Mass	6.9×1016 kg
Equatorial surface gravity	0.0113 m/s²
Equatorial escape velocity	0.0214 km/s
Synodic rotation period	5.1812 h (0.21588 d)[1]
Geometric albedo	0.1051±0.010
Temperature	~178 K
Spectral type	K[3] (Bus)
Absolute magnitude (H)	10.03[1]

Close

In the Tholen classification system, it is categorized as an SU-type asteroid, while the Bus asteroid taxonomy system lists it as a K-type asteroid.^[3] Photometric observations of this asteroid during 2007 at the Organ Mesa Observatory in Las Cruces, New Mexico were used to create a "nearly symmetric bimodal" light curve plot. This showed a rotation period of 10.359 ± 0.001 hours and a brightness variation of 0.09 ± 0.02 magnitude during each cycle.^[6] The result is double the 5.18-hour period reported in the JPL Small-Body Database.^[1]

On 2028-Apr-05, Vala will pass 0.0276 AU (4,130,000 km; 2,570,000 mi) from asteroid 2 Pallas.^[7]