A rare type of asteroid distinguished by a moderately high albedo and a reflectance spectrum displaying a strong absorption feature at wavelengths shorter than 0.7 μ‎m. There is also a strong absorption feature at wavelengths near 0.95 μ‎m, in the near-infrared. This dip is characteristic of the silicate mineral pyroxene. The ‘V’ is for Vesta, the first asteroid to be assigned to the type.