18 September: 261

Today is the 261^st day of the year. Here are 10 fun facts about the number 261:

1. 261 Prymno is a Main belt Asteroid discovered by C. H. F. Peters on October 31, 1886, in Clinton, New York and was named after the Greek Oceanid Prymno.

2. The year 261 was a common year starting on a Tuesday, known at the time as the Year of the Consulship of Gallienus and Taurus.

3. 261 is an odious number, meaning it has an odd number of 1's in its Binary expansion, which is 100000101.

4. London Bus route 261 runs from Lewisham Station to: Princess Royal University Hospital, Bromley.

5. 261 Fearless is an organisation which promotes empowerment for women through running. It was inspired by Kathrine Switzer, who was attacked while competing in the 1967 Boston Marathon, simply for being a woman with the audacity to enter the race. She didn’t give up, but kept going and became the first woman to complete the Boston Marathon. Her bib number was 261.

6. +261 is the dialling code for calls to Madagascar.

7. The A261 is a road in Kent, England, which runs between Lympne and Hythe.

8. In the novel Contact by Carl Sagan, Dr. Arroway asks Mr. Kitz, "You wanted to keep the first 261 prime numbers secret?"

9. The Roman numeral for 261 is CCLXI.

10. In numerology, 261 resonates with a universal view, humanitarianism, and tolerance. A person influenced by this number is a people person, open to viewing all aspects of life — cultures, economies, individuals, nature, points of view — and is curious about the relationships of all to each other.

Character birthday

Black Lantern, a member of the band of Villains known as the Sinister Squad. His powers are flight and powerful energy blasts which can destroy rocks and even buildings. Little is known about his origins. He is thought to have been mentored by Obsidian in a similar way to Ebony, although unlike her he was never formally adopted. It is not known why he always wears sunglasses, even indoors – he has no known eye problems. It is possible his sunglasses incorporate a device of some kind.