ly to kpc
92 unitsConvert Light year to Kiloparsec (ly to kpc)
1 light year = 0.0003066013938 kiloparsecs. Convert light years to kiloparsecs instantly, with the exact factor, the formula and a reference table of common values.
ly to kpc conversion table
| ly | kpc |
|---|---|
| 1 ly | 0.0003066013938 kpc |
| 2 ly | 0.0006132027876 kpc |
| 3 ly | 0.0009198041814 kpc |
| 5 ly | 0.001533006969 kpc |
| 10 ly | 0.003066013938 kpc |
| 20 ly | 0.006132027876 kpc |
| 50 ly | 0.01533006969 kpc |
| 100 ly | 0.03066013938 kpc |
| 250 ly | 0.07665034845 kpc |
| 500 ly | 0.1533006969 kpc |
| 1000 ly | 0.3066013938 kpc |
What is a light year?
A light year is a distance, not a time: it is how far light travels in one year, about 9.46 trillion kilometers. Light covers roughly 300,000 kilometers every second, and a year gives it a very long run.
Astronomers use light years because space is so empty. The nearest star beyond the Sun, Proxima Centauri, is about 4.2 light years away, and our galaxy is roughly 100,000 light years across. Seeing a star ten light years away means seeing light that left it ten years ago.
In writing, the light year is usually shortened to "ly". One light year is 9.460730e+15 meters, and that ratio is what every figure on this page is built from.