2007-03-05 09:51:37 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
A light-year is a linear measure of distance, just like a mile, kilometre, yard or metre, except that it is a huge unit.
Therefore, you can have a square light-year, and a cubic light year, just as you can have a square mile or cubic mile.
For example; the nearest star is about 4 light years away. If you imagine the sphere of space that sun exists in, with its edge at the nearest star, that sphere of space is about 35 cubic light years.
Most people cannot get past the "year" in light year, and therefore can't get their minds around the light-year being a linear measure. But we all except miles per hour as a speed, even though the term only mentions distance (miles) and time (hour).
2007-03-05 11:11:47 · answer #1 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A light-year is the distance light travels in one year (I don't have the exact figure). A square light-year would be a square measuring one light-year on each side. A cubic light-year, in the same way, would be a cubic space measuring one light-year along each edge.
2007-03-05 11:02:23 · answer #2 · answered by telcontar328 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a light year is a very.... large measure of distance. like a mile, if you form a square where each side of the square is the distance, in this case a light year, you would get a square light year.
2007-03-05 09:55:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. It is a plane with all sides equal to a lightyear.
2007-03-05 10:23:05 · answer #4 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋