Parsec: meaning, definitions and examples
๐
parsec
[ หpษหrหsษk ]
astronomy measurement
A parsec is a unit of measurement used in astronomy to describe distances to stars and galaxies. It is defined as the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond. The term 'parsec' is derived from a combination of 'parallax' and 'arcsecond'. It is equal to about 3.26 light-years or about 3.086 ร 10^13 kilometers. The use of parsecs helps astronomers quantify vast distances in space more easily.
Synonyms
astronomical unit, light-year.
Examples of usage
- The nearest star is about 1.3 parsecs away.
- Distances to galaxies are often measured in parsecs.
- Astronomers use parsecs to determine the scale of the universe.
Translations
Translations of the word "parsec" in other languages:
๐ต๐น parsec
๐ฎ๐ณ เคชเคพเคฐเฅเคธเฅเค
๐ฉ๐ช Parsec
๐ฎ๐ฉ parsec
๐บ๐ฆ ะฟะฐััะตะบ
๐ต๐ฑ parsec
๐ฏ๐ต ใใผใปใฏ
๐ซ๐ท parsec
๐ช๐ธ parsec
๐น๐ท parsec
๐ฐ๐ท ํ์น
๐ธ๐ฆ ุจุงุฑุณูู
๐จ๐ฟ parsec
๐ธ๐ฐ parsec
๐จ๐ณ ็งๅทฎ่ท
๐ธ๐ฎ parsec
๐ฎ๐ธ parsec
๐ฐ๐ฟ ะฟะฐััะตะบ
๐ฌ๐ช แแแ แกแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ parsec
๐ฒ๐ฝ parsec
Etymology
The term 'parsec' was first coined in 1913 by the British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner. It was created to provide a more practical measure of astronomical distances, stemming from the observation of stellar parallax, which is the apparent shift in position of a star due to the Earth's orbit. The parsec was developed as a result of the need for astronomers to have a reliable method for quantifying the distances between celestial bodies. The reliance on arcseconds as a basis for measurement allowed for greater precision in calculations and communications among astronomers. The introduction of this unit significantly improved the field of astrometry, which is essential for understanding the structure and scale of the universe.