Advertisement
Advertisement
parsec
[ pahr-sek ]
noun
, Astronomy.
- a unit of distance equal to that required to cause a heliocentric parallax of one second of an arc, equivalent to 206,265 times the distance from the earth to the sun, or 3.26 light-years.
parsec
/ ˈpɑːˌsɛk /
noun
- a unit of astronomical distance equal to the distance from earth at which stellar parallax would be 1 second of arc; equivalent to 3.0857 × 10 16m or 3.262 light years
parsec
/ pär′sĕk′ /
- A unit of astronomical length equal to 3.26 light-years. It is based on the distance from Earth at which a star would have a parallax of one second of arc. Its metric equivalent is about 30.8 trillion km (19.1 trillion mi). It is used in measuring distances in interstellar and intergalactic space. The closest star to Earth, Alpha Centauri, is about 1.3 parsecs away.
- Compare astronomical unit
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of parsec1
First recorded in 1910–15; par(allax) + sec(ond) 2
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of parsec1
C20: from parallax + second ²
Advertisement
Word of the Day
[in-vet-er-it ]
Meaning and examplesStart each day with the Word of the Day in your inbox!
By clicking "Sign Up", you are accepting Dictionary.com Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policies.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse