par
sec
Plural
parsecs
1
a unit of astronomical distance equivalent to about 3.26 light-years
- Astronomers use parsec to measure distances to stars and galaxies.
- The Milky Way galaxy has a diameter of tens of thousands of parsecs.
- Galaxies billions of parsecs away are visible with powerful telescopes.
- Understanding parsec helps astronomers map the vastness of the universe.
- Parsec provides a convenient scale for discussing interstellar and intergalactic distances.
Synonyms: