12/20/2023 0 Comments Astronomical unit calculatorIt is also a fundamental component in the definition of another unit of astronomical length, the parsec. The astronomical unit is used primarily for measuring distances within the Solar System or around other stars. The astronomical unit was originally conceived as the average of Earth's aphelion and perihelion however, since 2012 it has been defined as exactly 149 597 870 700 m (see below for several conversions). The actual distance from Earth to the Sun varies by about 3% as Earth orbits the Sun, from a maximum ( aphelion) to a minimum ( perihelion) and back again once each year. The astronomical unit (symbol: au, or AU or AU) is a unit of length, roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun and equal to 150 million kilometres (93 million miles) or 8.3 light minutes. It’s about 93 million miles (150 million km), or 8 light-minutes.The grey line indicates the Earth–Sun distance, which on average is about 1 astronomical unit. One astronomical unit is the approximate mean distance between the Earth and sun. Read more about this image at Wikimedia Commons.īottom line: Astronomers like to list the distances to objects within our solar system (planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, spacecraft, etc.) in terms of the astronomical unit, or AU. Smallest yellow sphere is one light-week. Oort Cloud: 5,000 to 100,000 AU Largest circle with yellow arrow indicates one light year from our sun. Image via NASAįarthest spacecraft: Voyager 1: 137.053 AU (as of October 2016) Sedna: 518.57 AU Artist’s rendering of the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud, the distant icy realm of the solar system. Artist’s concept of the dwarf planet Eris, whose distance from the sun varies from 38.255 to 97.661 au. If you want to find out the distances of the solar system planets from the Earth and sun right now, click here or here. Mean distance ( semi-major axis) from sun to each planet, in AU. Distances from the sun of planets in our solar system, expressed in A.U. When our planet swings out to aphelion – its farthest point, in July – we’re about 1.017 AU away from the sun. For instance, when the Earth is at perihelion – its nearest point to the sun for the year, in January – it’s about 0.983 AU from the sun. Astronomers give the Earth’s changing distance throughout the year relative to the astronomical unit, too. So Earth’s distance from the sun changes throughout the year. More exactly, one astronomical unit (AU) = 92,955,807 miles (149,597,871 km).Įarth’s orbit around the sun isn’t a perfect circle. An AU is approximately 93 million miles (150 million km). For general reference, we can say that one astronomical unit (AU) represents the mean distance between the Earth and our sun. Mean distance to Kuiper Belt, farthest spacecraft, Oort Cloud, in AU.Īmount of distance in a light-year, in AUĭefinition of astronomical unit. Mean distance from sun to some dwarf planets, in AU. Mean distance from sun to each planet, in AU. How far is that? Follow the links below to learn more about this basic distance unit in our solar system. Image via NASA.Īstronomers like to list the distances to objects within our solar system (planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, spacecraft, etc.) in terms of an astronomical unit. One astronomical unit = the average distance between them.
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