ly to pc
92 unitsConvert Light year to Parsec (ly to pc)
1 light year = 0.3066013938 parsecs. Convert light years to parsecs instantly, with the exact factor, the formula and a reference table of common values.
ly to pc conversion table
| ly | pc |
|---|---|
| 1 ly | 0.3066013938 pc |
| 2 ly | 0.6132027876 pc |
| 3 ly | 0.9198041814 pc |
| 5 ly | 1.533006969 pc |
| 10 ly | 3.066013938 pc |
| 20 ly | 6.132027876 pc |
| 50 ly | 15.33006969 pc |
| 100 ly | 30.66013938 pc |
| 250 ly | 76.65034845 pc |
| 500 ly | 153.3006969 pc |
| 1000 ly | 306.6013938 pc |
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.