Q137874

Also known as (131) Vala, Vala

main-belt asteroid

Picture of the Day · NASA

Jupiter and Venus from Earth

2026-06-07

It was visible around the world. The sunset conjunction of Jupiter (left) and Venus (right) in 2012 was visible almost no matter where you lived on Earth. Anyone on our planet with a clear western horizon at sunset could see them. That year, a creative photographer traveled away from the town lights of Szubin, Poland to photograph a near closest approach of the two planets. The bright planets were then separated by only three degrees and his daughter struck a humorous pose. A faint red sunset still glowed in the background. Jupiter and Venus are together again this week after sunset, passing within a degree of each other about two days from today.

Key facts

Discovered by: Christian Heinrich Friedrich Peters
Discovery site: Litchfield Observatory
Discovery date: 24 May 1873
Pronunciation: / ˈ v ɑː l ə /
Named after: vǫlva
Alternative designations: A873 KA; 1945 KA;, 1952 DS 3 ; 1953 QE

~2 min read

Article

131 Vala is an asteroid located in the main asteroid belt. It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on 24 May 1873, and derives its name from völva (vǫlva, lit. 'staff bearer'), a prophetess in Norse paganism. 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.

Discovery and naming