Units of astronomical measurement Flashcards
1
Q
What is an astronomical unit?
A
The average distance between the center of the earth and the center of the sun.
1AU= 1.496x10^11m
2
Q
What are astronomical units used for?
A
Determine distances between objects in our solar system
3
Q
What is a light year?
A
The distance light travels in one year
1ly= 9.47x10^18
4
Q
What are light years used to measure?
A
The distance to nearby stars
5
Q
What is a parsec?
A
Distance that one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond
1pc= 2.086x10^16
6
Q
What is a parsec useful for?
A
Useful for measuring distant stars and large scale of the universe
