Convert astronomical unit to parsec
Please provide values below to convert astronomical unit [AU, UA] to parsec [pc], or Convert parsec to astronomical unit.
How to Convert Astronomical Unit to Parsec
1 AU, UA = 4.84813681142745e-06 pc
Example: convert 15 AU, UA to pc:
15 AU, UA = 15 × 4.84813681142745e-06 pc = 7.27220521714118e-05 pc
Astronomical Unit to Parsec Conversion Table
| astronomical unit | parsec |
|---|
Astronomical Unit
The astronomical unit is a unit of length, now defined as exactly 149,597,870,700 meters. It is approximately the average distance between the Earth and the Sun.
History/Origin
Historically, the astronomical unit was the mean Earth-Sun distance. In 2012, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) redefined it as a fixed constant.
Current Use
The astronomical unit is used primarily for measuring distances within the Solar System or around other stars.
Parsec
A parsec is a unit of length used to measure the large distances to astronomical objects outside the Solar System, approximately equal to 3.26 light-years. It is the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond.
History/Origin
The term "parsec" is a portmanteau of "parallax" and "second," coined by British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner in 1913.
Current Use
The parsec is the preferred unit of distance in astronomy and astrophysics for expressing the distances to stars and galaxies.