C/1962 C1 (Seki–Lines)

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C/1962 C1 (Seki–Lines)
(Great Comet of 1962)
Comet Seki–Lines photographed by Alan McClure on 10 April 1962
Discovery
Discovered byTsutomu Seki
Richard D. Lines
Discovery date4 February 1962
Designations
1962c
1962 III
Orbital characteristics
Epoch30 May 1962 (JD 2437814.5)
Observation arc349 days
Number of
observations
32
Perihelion0.031 AU
Eccentricity1.0000045
Inclination65.01°
304.68°
Argument of
periapsis
11.47°
Last perihelion1 April 1962
Earth MOID0.141 AU
Jupiter MOID0.272 AU
Physical characteristics
Comet nuclear
magnitude (M2)
14.2
–1.5
(1962 apparition)

C/1962 C1 (Seki–Lines), also known as Comet Seki–Lines and 1962c, was a hyperbolic comet discovered independently by Richard D. Lines and Tsutomu Seki on 4 February 1962. The comet became very bright in April 1962, as passed its perihelion on 1 April at a distance of 0.031 AU (4.6 million km; 2.9 million mi), thus becoming the Great Comet of 1962.