Normally the distance of any planet or nearest planet family will be described in light years. That why I am asking the above question
2006-07-07 21:50:02 · 14 answers · asked by keyan 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Light year measures distance, not time. A light-year, symbol ly, is the distance light travels in one year: exactly 9.4607304725808 × 10^15 m (about 9.461 Pm).
More specifically, a light year is defined as the distance that a photon would travel, in free space and infinitely distant from any gravitational or magnetic fields, in one Julian year (365.25 days of 86,400 seconds each).
The light year is often used to measure distances to stars: a light year is not a unit of time. In astronomy, the preferred unit of measurement for such distances is the parsec which is defined as the distance at which an object will generate one arcsecond of parallax when the observing object moved one astronomical unit perpendicular to the line of sight to the observer. This is equal to approximately 3.26 light years. The parsec is preferred because it can be more easily derived from, and inter-compared with, observational data. However, outside scientific circles, the term light year is more widely used by the general public.
Units related to the light year are the light minute and light second, the distance light travels in a vacuum in one minute and one second, respectively. A light minute is equal to 17,987,547,480 m. Since light travels 299,792,458 m in one second, a light second is 299,792,458 m in length.
2006-07-07 21:59:41 · answer #1 · answered by organicchem 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A light-year, symbol ly, is the distance light travels in one year: exactly
9.4607304725808 × 1015 m (about 9.461 Pm).
5.878625373183 × 1012 + 849/1397 (nearly six trillion) miles.
63241.077 AU.
More specifically, a light year is defined as the distance that a photon would travel, in free space and infinitely distant from any gravitational or magnetic fields, in one Julian year (365.25 days of 86,400 seconds each).
The light year is often used to measure distances to stars: a light year is not a unit of time. In astronomy, the preferred unit of measurement for such distances is the parsec which is defined as the distance at which an object will generate one arcsecond of parallax when the observing object moved one astronomical unit perpendicular to the line of sight to the observer. This is equal to approximately 3.26 light years. The parsec is preferred because it can be more easily derived from, and inter-compared with, observational data. However, outside scientific circles, the term light year is more widely used by the general public.
For a list of lengths on the order of one light year, see the article 1 E15 m.
Units related to the light year are the light minute and light second, the distance light travels in a vacuum in one minute and one second, respectively. A light minute is equal to 17,987,547,480 m. Since light travels 299,792,458 m in one second, a light second is 299,792,458 m in length
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_year
2006-07-07 21:54:48 · answer #2 · answered by Steven W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lightyear doesn't measure Time, it measures distance travelled.
Which I believe is roughly 6 trillion miles in one year or so. Not bad. And the furthest planet would be light hours, not years. The nearest Star, is light years (around 4.3 light years?).
2006-07-07 21:57:21 · answer #3 · answered by AdamKadmon 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Light Year is not a unit of Time.
It is a unit of distance.
Light Year is defined as the distance Light can travel in 1 year.
Light travels abt 3lakh km/sec.
so one light year is 300000*365*24*60*60 aprox.
( it takes abt 8 minutes for Light from sun 2 reach earth)
2006-07-07 22:07:38 · answer #4 · answered by da_great_viper 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A light year is a measurement of distance and not time i believe. Around 6 trillion miles is a light year. Time, as i believe, is an artificial and conceptual byproduct of two or more objects in motion.
2006-07-07 21:59:30 · answer #5 · answered by John G 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The light year is often used to measure distances to stars: a light year is not a unit of time...Light-Year (ly)
The distance for which light, with its speed of 299,792 km/sec (186,282 miles per second) needs one year travel time. 1 ly = 9.46 trillion (10^12) km or 5.88 trillion miles (more acurately: exactly
1 ly = 9.460536207068016 * 10^12 km
= 9,460,536,207,068.016 km
2006-07-07 22:00:43 · answer #6 · answered by jenni jones 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My dear friend
Light year is actually a unit of distance and not a unit of time(but the name may misguide you)
it is the distance travelled by light in one your in vacuum
2006-07-07 21:54:50 · answer #7 · answered by mukunth 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a distance that the light covers in a year
just for comparison, Sun is 8 light-minutes away from the Earth
2006-07-07 21:52:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ex. The nearest star is 4.22 light-years away.
The speed of light is 186,282 miles per second per second. That means that light travels 186,282 miles every second. Going that fast it would take light 4.22 years to get to Alpha Centari from Earth
2006-07-07 21:58:42 · answer #9 · answered by Axiom 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the distance light can travel in one year
you do the math.
2006-07-07 21:53:00 · answer #10 · answered by My Big Bear Ron 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋