Approximately how many light-years equates to one parsec?
Answer
About 3.26 light-years
The parsec is a specialized unit used by astronomers for measuring greater cosmic distances, particularly in mapping the structure of the Milky Way and distances between galaxies. Its value is directly related to the light-year through geometric principles involving parallax measurements. Specifically, one parsec is defined as equating to approximately $3.26$ light-years. This relationship allows astronomers to convert measurements derived from parallax observations—which are typically expressed in arcseconds—into a practical unit of distance that is significantly larger than the light-year, equating to roughly $30.9$ trillion kilometers.
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