Why do scientist a use astronomical units?

Answer 1

Scientists use astronomical units (AU) to provide a standard measure of distance within our solar system, where the average distance from the Earth to the Sun is defined as one AU (approximately 93 million miles or 150 million kilometers). This unit simplifies calculations and comparisons of distances between celestial bodies, making it easier to communicate and understand vast distances. Using AU helps avoid the cumbersome numbers typically associated with miles or kilometers when dealing with the scale of space.