261P/Larson
ephemeris	date	magn	radius	delta	ra	dec	elong	phase	PA
Today	5 Feb 2025	22.5	3.038 AU	3.684 AU	18h16m	-25°54'	43.0°	12.8°	266°
Nearest approach	6 Aug 2025	16.6	2.292 AU	1.302 AU	19h55m	-18°13'	163.1°	7.4°	87°
Perihelion	27 Dec 2025	16.3	2.014 AU	2.349 AU	22h15m	-05°40'	58.3°	24.5°	66°

The interactive orbit chart above shows the comet's path through the solar system and its position at the given date. Green and blue lines are shown perpendicular to the ecliptic plane: Green if the path is above the ecliptic plane, blue if it is below. (Left-click and drag to rotate the view; Right-click and drag to move the view; Use scroll wheel to zoom in our out.)

The orbital elements of 261P/Larson are:

            e (Eccentricity)                : 0.4228700
            q (Perihelion distance)         : 2.0140890
            i (Inclination)                 : 6.07320
            Ω (Longitude of ascending node) : 291.05100
            ω (Argument of perihelion)      : 67.36670
            L (Longitude of perihelion)     : 358.30293
            B (Latitude of perihelion)      : 5.60392
            T (Time of perihelion passage)  : 2461036.86880
            P (Orbital period in years)     : 6.52

            Epoch                           : 2025 Feb 04
            Reference                       : MPEC 2021-J28

            Classification(s):              : Ecliptic; Jupiter family
            Tisserand (Jupiter)             : 2.967
        

The light curve chart below shows the estimated development of the comet's magnitude. Blue and black dots are visual and photometric CCD observations respectively from COBS or the MPC. The gray curve is based on the absolute magnitude and slope parameter as calculated from the original MPEC, or the latest values provided by the MPC (14.00 + 5 log[∆] + 10.00 log[r]), whereas the red curve is being recalculated every 6 hours based on the available COBS/MPC observations (currently 5.48 + 5 log[∆] + 29.34 log[r]).

The all-sky chart below shows the path of the comet over the same period as the light curve. The comet's current position is marked yellow.

The following chart shows the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.
A more printer-friendly version of the same chart can be found further down this page as well.

The following chart shows the current location of the comet in a smaller, upside-down telescopic field of view.

A printable version of the short-term path of the comet in a field of view that is optimized for (~10x50) binoculars and finderscopes.

Ephemerides:

Date       Time       RA (2000)    DEC (2000)    delta   radius  elong  phase   PA    magn
2025-02-05 00:00 UT   18 15 21.4   -25 55 25     3.691    3.040   42.7   12.7   266   22.5 
2025-02-05 12:01 UT   18 16 09.4   -25 54 53     3.684    3.038   43.0   12.8   266   22.5 
2025-02-06 00:00 UT   18 16 57.2   -25 54 21     3.677    3.036   43.3   12.9   266   22.5 
2025-02-07 00:00 UT   18 18 32.9   -25 53 13     3.663    3.032   44.0   13.1   266   22.4 
2025-02-08 00:00 UT   18 20 08.4   -25 52 02     3.649    3.028   44.6   13.2   265   22.4 
2025-02-09 00:00 UT   18 21 43.7   -25 50 48     3.635    3.023   45.3   13.4   265   22.4 
2025-02-10 00:00 UT   18 23 18.9   -25 49 29     3.621    3.019   45.9   13.6   265   22.4 
2025-02-11 00:00 UT   18 24 53.9   -25 48 08     3.606    3.015   46.6   13.8   265   22.3 
2025-02-12 00:00 UT   18 26 28.8   -25 46 43     3.592    3.011   47.3   13.9   265   22.3 
2025-02-13 00:00 UT   18 28 03.4   -25 45 14     3.577    3.006   47.9   14.1   265   22.3 
2025-02-14 00:00 UT   18 29 37.9   -25 43 42     3.563    3.002   48.6   14.3   265   22.2 
2025-02-15 00:00 UT   18 31 12.2   -25 42 07     3.548    2.998   49.2   14.4   265   22.2 

    Terminology:
            
    delta:  distance between comet and earth in AU
    radius: distance between comet and sun in AU
    magn:   magnitude (brightness) estimate    
    ra:     right ascension in hours (24h = 360deg)
    dec:    declination in degrees
    elong:  elongation in degrees (angle sun-earth-comet)    
    phase:  phase angle in degrees (angle sun-comet-earth)        
    AU:     Astronomical Unit (mean distance between earth and sun: 149597870.7 km      
    

Orbital elements usually provided by the MPC (Minor Planet Center).
Observations contributed by observers worldwide, via COBS (Comet Observation Database) or the MPC (Minor Planet Center)
Calculations by a modified version of AAPlus, a C# implementation of the AA+ project by PJ Naughter from the algorithms presented in the book "Astronomical Algorithms" by Jean Meeus.
NGC2000 dso catalog and star labels from VizieR as provided by the Strasbourg astronomical Data Center.
Tycho2 catalog from the ESO archive.