| albedo={{val|0.1051|0.010}}
| single_temperature=~178 K
| mean_motion={{Deg2DMS|0.25987|sup=ms}} / day
| orbit_ref=
| observation_arc=142.88 yr (52187 d)
| uncertainty=0
| moid={{Convert|1.25637|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}
| jupiter_moid={{Convert|2.37651|AU|Gm|abbr=on}}
| tisserand=3.499
}}Vala (minor planet designation: 131 Vala) is an inner main-belt asteroid. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on May 24, 1873, and named after Völva, a prophetess in Norse mythology.[8] One observation of an occultation of a star by Vala is from Italy (May 26, 2002). 10-µm radiometric data collected from Kitt Peak in 1975 gave a diameter estimate of 34 km.[9]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.[5] 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.[11] The result is double the 5.18 hour period reported in the JPL Small-Body Database.
On 2028-Apr-05, Vala will pass {{convert|0.0276|AU|km mi|abbr=on|lk=on}} from asteroid 2 Pallas.[13]
References
1. ^1 {{cite web |type=2011-10-20 last obs (arc=138 years) |title=JPL Close-Approach Data: 131 Vala |url=http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=131;cad=1#cad |accessdate=2011-12-07}}
2. ^1 {{Cite book |last=Schmadel |first=Lutz D.|authorlink=Lutz D. Schmadel|author2=International Astronomical Union |title=Dictionary of minor planet names |year=2003 |publisher=Springer-Verlag |location=Berlin; New York |isbn=978-3-540-00238-3 |page=27|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KWrB1jPCa8AC&pg=PA27|accessdate=9 September 2011}}
3. ^1 {{Citation | first1 = Frederick | last1 = Pilcher | title = Period Determination for 84 Klio, 98 Ianthe, 102 Miriam 112 Iphigenia, 131 Vala, and 650 Amalasuntha | work = The Minor Planet Bulletin | volume = 35 | issue = 2 | pages = 71–72 | date = June 2008 | doi = 10.1016/j.pss.2012.03.009 | bibcode = 2008MPBu...35...71P | postscript= .| arxiv= 1203.4336 }}
4. ^1 {{Citation | last1 = Morrison | first1 = D. | last2 = Chapman | first2 = C. R. | title = Radiometric diameters for an additional 22 asteroids | work = Astrophysical Journal | volume = 204 | pages = 934–939 | date = March 1976 | doi = 10.1142/9789812834300_0469 | bibcode = 2008mgm..conf.2594S | postscript= .}}
5. ^1 2 {{Citation |last1=DeMeo |first1=Francesca E. |last2=Binzel |first2=Richard P. |last3=Slivan |first3=Stephen M. |last4=Bus |first4=Schelte J. |display-authors=1 |title=An extension of the Bus asteroid taxonomy into the near-infrared |work=Icarus |volume=202 |issue=1 |pages=160–180 |date=July 2009 |doi=10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.005 |bibcode=2009Icar..202..160D |url=http://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/2262/43276/1/PEER_stage2_10.1016%252Fj.icarus.2009.02.005.pdf |accessdate=2013-04-08 |postscript=. |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317200310/https://www.tara.tcd.ie/bitstream/2262/43276/1/PEER_stage2_10.1016/j.icarus.2009.02.005.pdf |archivedate=2014-03-17 |df=}} See appendix A.