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In part, the unit was introduced because at first, the ratios between different distances in the Solar System (such as, how far is each planet from the Sun) were known to a pretty good accuracy (thanks to Kepler's Laws), but the absolute distances themselves (say, in kilometers) were not. Therefore, such distances were expressed in multiples of Earth's distance from the Sun, as a convenient "yardstick". It is still very useful, to help visualize distances within the Solar System.
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoThe Astronomical Unit (AU) for distance is simply the average distance from the earth to the sun. Many other measurement units used in astronomy are based on comparison with the sun: for example, solar masses for stars, an so on.
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How much is 29 astronomical units?
29 astronomical units = 4,338,338,250 kilometers.
How many km is in 5.2 Au?
You can use a search engine such as Google or Bing to perform these kinds of unit conversions. Enter "5.2 AU in kilometers" and get the answer5.2 Astronomical Units = 777,909,600 kilometers
Why is it necessary to have fractional units?
Not all magnitudes in nature come in integer units.
Why an astronomical unit is not used to measure distance on earth?
It is a very large unit for such scales. Also, it's better to use the standard (i.e., the SI) units, for several reasons.
What type of orbit does Halley's comet have?
It is elliptical with a period of 75.3 years and a semimajor axis of 17.8 astronomical units, a little smaller than Uranus's orbit. The eccentricity is 0.967 so that is approaches within 0.586 astronomical units of the Sun, and it is due back on July 28, 2061. It goes out to 35.1 astronomical units, beyond the orbit of Neptune. The inclination of the orbit is 162.3 degrees.
How far from the sun is all the plants?
Mercury--0.387 astronomical units Venus--0.723 astronomical units Earth--1.0 astronomical units Mars--1.524 astronomical units Jupiter--5.203 astronomical units Saturn--9.529 astronomical units Uranus--19.19 astronomical units Neptune--30.06 astronomical units Pluto--39.53 astronomical units Please note that these are all mean distances, and the actual distance will vary as to the location of the specific planet in its specific orbit.
What is 1.93 astronomical units in kilometers?
1.93 astronomical units is 288,723,890 kilometers.
How far is 0.82 astronomical units?
0.82 astronomical units is 122,670,254 kilometers.
How far is 4 astronomical units?
4 astronomical units = 371,822,485 miles
How far is 38 astronomical units?
38 astronomical units is about 5,684,719,086 kilometers.
How much is 29 astronomical units?
29 astronomical units = 4,338,338,250 kilometers.
What is Mars' average distance from the sun in astronomical units in astronomical units?
1.38
How many kilometers is 9.54 astronomical units?
9.54 astronomical units = 1,427,163,686 kilometers
How far is 39.5 astronomical units?
39.5 astronomical units equate to about 5,909,115,892 kilometers.
How many centimeters is 9.5 Astronomical Units?
9.5 Astronomical Units = 1.421181 × 1014 centimeters
How Many astronomical units is the sun from Betelgeuse?
Betelgeuse is 40,473,416.93376 AU' (Astronomical Units) from Earth.
What is the conversion of light years to astronomical units?
1 light year = 63,240 Astronomical Units
