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What is a huge distance in space?

Updated: 4/28/2022
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Just about anything in space is likely to be a huge distance by Earth standards. Currently, there are three units (plus prefixes) commonly used to express distance: 1) The Astronomical Unit, abbreviated AU, which is the mean distance from the Earth to the Sun, about 150,000,000,000 meters; 2) The light year (also seen as lightyear, light-year and LY, about 9,460,000,000,000,000 meters; there are 63,240 or so AU in a LY, which is, curiously, almost the same as the inches in a mile (63,360); 3) The parsec, or "parallax second" which is equal to 3.26 light years and is used mainly by astronomers because it's convenient to measure (the process involves sighting from different positions in the Earth's orbit. Amazingly, this gigantic unit is only suitable for distancing nearby stars. Metric prefixes "kilo-" and "mega-" can be used which "parsec" to describe the distance to other arms of our galaxy and to other galaxies.

AU are suitable for describing distances to other planets; for example, Jupiter is 5.2 AU from the Sun and Neptune is 29.9. LY are used to distance stars: Rigil Kent is 4.3 LY, Deneb is about 1600.

A fourth unit you might hear is the "light second," of 300,000,000 meters (1 AU is 499 light seconds). Note that this is NOT the same "second" as the second in "parallax second." This is a second of TIME; that is a second of ANGLE. The Moon is about 1 1/4 light second away; the Sun is about 4 light seconds in diameter

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