1 astronomical unit
1 AULength · definition
The quantity is exact as entered. Comparisons use the clearly stated specimen, model or nominal measurement.
Length & distance
Just how long is 1 astronomical unit?
Solar neighbourhood
1 AU
1.496 × 10¹¹ mmetres
4.9081 × 10¹¹ ftfeet
92,956,000 mimiles
1.5813 × 10⁻⁵ lylight-years
01
1 astronomical unit1 AULength · definition
02
Earth–Sun distance1 AUDistance · definition
Both marked spans share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its proportions; poses and surface detail are illustrative. A ruler represents the selected distance or unrolled circumference; it is not the physical size of the pictured body.
A little perspective
The length of 1 astronomical unit and the distance of Earth–Sun distance are approximately the same.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
1 astronomical unit
The quantity is exact as entered. Comparisons use the clearly stated specimen, model or nominal measurement.
Earth–Sun distance
One astronomical unit is exactly 149,597,870,700 m. It is a useful Earth–Sun orbital scale, not the separation at every instant. Light takes about 8 minutes 19 seconds to cross it.
NIST — 2022 CODATA fundamental constants
The marked distance is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Measurement details
Why these numbers?
The visual compares length with distance. The records below preserve each value’s basis and caveats.
Earth–Sun distance
1 AUDistance · definition
One astronomical unit is exactly 149,597,870,700 m. It is a useful Earth–Sun orbital scale, not the separation at every instant. Light takes about 8 minutes 19 seconds to cross it.
- Comparing
- Length ↔ Distance
- Relative size
- The two selected measurements are approximately equal.
How to read the visual
The labelled spans and stored measurements determine the scale; unmeasured illustration details do not.
Change your perspective
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A little smaller. A little larger.