![]() A is the distance at which 1 AU subtends an angle of 1 arcsec. This is because its definition is closely related to a method of measuring the distances between stars. Many astronomers prefer to use s (abbreviated pc) to measure distance to stars. The use of the has been carried into the 21st Century because of historical inertia and because its use avoids the application of conversion factors - i.e., 3.Ī is a unit of length used to measure the distances between objects located beyond our solar system, and is equal to 3.26 light-years (19 trillion miles/31 trillion km). The radius of the Earth's orbit equals one astronomical unit (AU), so an object that is one distant is 206,265 AU (or 3.26 light-years) away. One is the distance to an object whose parallax angle is one arcsecond. Unit of distance at which a star would have a parallax of 1 second of arc from a planet of exactly 1 astronomical unit (AU) distance from its primary. A is equal to about 3.26 light-years (31 trillion kilometres or 19 trillion miles) in length.Ī is the unit for expressing distances to stars and galaxies, used by professional astronomers. One is the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond. Ī parsec is defined as the distance from the Sun which would result in a parallax of 1 second of arc as seen from Earth.Ī (symbol: pc) is a unit of length used to measure large distances to objects outside the Solar System. The parsec was defined to be the distance at which 1 AU (perpendicular to the line of sight) subtends an angle of 1 arcsecond. Parsec pär'sÄ-c, in astronomy, basic unit of length for measuring interstellar and intergalactic distances, equal to 206,265 times the distance from the earth to the sun, 3.26 light-years, or 3.08 Ã- 1013 km (about 19 million million mi).ĭistances to the closest stars can be determined through measurement of their trigonometric parallax.
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