2007-02-06 15:13:33 · 10 answers · asked by Chef Dane 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Megaparsecs for galaxy clusters (for example), parsecs and lightyears for stars and nearby galaxies, astronomical units for other planets in the solar system, or miles and kilometers for shorter distances. 1 parsec = 3.262 lightyears, 1 lightyear = 5,878,500,000,000 miles, 1 astronomical unit = 93,000,000 miles (the mean distance between earth and the sun).
2007-02-06 15:36:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are 3 units of measurement of distances in astronomy.
1) AU or astronomical unit, 1 AU representing the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, or about 150 million kilometers
2) light year, which is the distance traveled by light in one year; light travels at the rate of about 300.000 kilometers per second, meaning that a light year is about 9.46 trillions of kilometers.
3) parsec, which is about 3.26 light years.
2007-02-13 15:41:45 · answer #2 · answered by Tenebra98 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Distance is measured in light years. A light year is not an amount of time. It is the distance that light travels in a year. Since light travels at 299,792,458 m/s, you can see that a light year is a vast unimaginable distance.
2007-02-06 23:18:58 · answer #3 · answered by Bauercvhs 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Almost universally light years, light travels at 2.998*10^8 Meters per Second, so you can immagine how fast and far that must be. Closest star to Earth besides the sun is several thousand though, I believe.
Miles and kilometers are used, too, for relatively "small" distances, like moon orbits, planet orbits, circumferences, and things like that.
Hope I answered your question! :)
2007-02-06 23:22:32 · answer #4 · answered by jhfd1234 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Light years 1 LY = approx 5,880,000,000,000 miles.
Parsecs 1 parsec= 3.26 Light years
Astronomical units 1AU = 93 million miles (earth sun avg.distance)
Red shift calculated by the amount a distant object's light is shifted towards the red end of the visible light spectrum.
Miles /Km.
2007-02-06 23:45:34 · answer #5 · answered by kwilfort 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Light Years,
The distance light travels in one year.
2007-02-06 23:17:54 · answer #6 · answered by October 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they try to use light years but its not acucate due to the fact that everything is moving and no longer in the location it is being seen in so its always best guess results.
2007-02-14 14:09:05 · answer #7 · answered by Tony N 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in light years
2007-02-13 22:24:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
light years
2007-02-07 00:59:26 · answer #9 · answered by my place 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in light years or par secs
2007-02-06 23:23:05 · answer #10 · answered by blinkky winkky 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋