How is the distance between stars measured?

Question

OK, I know it's light years, so how is the distance in light years measured?

darpdarp: you are a cretin!

Answer 1

We can measure the parallax of the nearer stars and by estimating their brightness vs size we can extrapolate for stars further away.
A particular type of stars called Cepheid Variables were notice to all have the same color spectrum and a uniform rate of variation When one of these is found a long way away its distance can be calculated by its Doppler shift and brightness .

Answer 2

the simplest way to estimate the distance is by triangulation.

stars fall into several categories that are fairly uniform in size, white dwarf, red giant, etc. this gives a rough estimate of diameter. using brightness of a known type of star, can estimate distance. if you can estimate the distance to 2 stars by this means, finding the distance between the 2 can be done mathematically .

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the 3 angles of a triangle always total 180 degrees. if you know 2 of the angles and length of 2 sides, you can calculate the 3rd.

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the term light years is used because it puts the vast distances into easier to grasp units. 1000 light years is easier to use than a number like 5 followed by 15 zeroes (in miles).

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how is distance in light years measured?

well, first thing is to establish the speed of light. it was calculated to roughly 286,000 miles per second, by observing the orbits of jupiters moons.

once the speed was established, then just multiply by seconds, minutes ,hours, etc. to calculate the distance traveled in one year.

Answer 3

The distance between stars is measured in units called light years. The distance light travels in a year. 186 000 miles per second multiplied up into years. We also have a unit called an AU (Astronomic Unit) which is the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

xxR

Answer 4

Light years

Answer 5

To find the distance between stars,
take a yardstick and lay it
between Tom Hanks and Halle Berry,
then . . .
(sorry; I couldn't resist the pun!) ;)

A "light year" (LY) is a unit of measurement,
as are "inches" or "meters".

Just like "inches" or "meters",
LY is a measure of distance, not time.
In other words, LY is not the "method"
by which it is calculated,
which, I believe, is what you're asking.

I'm not a physicist,
so please look at the following links
which will either help or further confuse you! ;)

Answer 6

Stellar Parallax for stars relatively close.

....The change in position relative to the background of stars as the earth changes position in its orbit about the sun.

But parallax is limited by our ability to measure tiny angualr movements and requires larger apertures to get smaller measurements...

Some satellite telscopes have improved our ability...but still the max. distance is about 1600 light years. using this method.

Further out Cepheid variable stars are used...

Answer 7

Sometimes it is determined by it's apparant luminosity (how bright it looks) compared to it's actually luminosity (how bright it really is) and then they make an estamite of how far it is, that why you hear scientist say that its approximately
(any #) lightyears to the star (whatever it's name is).

Answer 8

it is measured in lightyears. 1 lightyear equals the distance a beam of light travels in an year. which is 9,460,730,472,580.8 km

Answer 9

light year

Answer 10

well david beckham is a better player than wayne rooney by far..

oooppps.. sorry wrong catagory..