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parsec

[ pahr-sek ]

noun

, Astronomy.
  1. a unit of distance equal to that required to cause a heliocentric parallax of one second of an arc, equivalent to 206,265 times the distance from the earth to the sun, or 3.26 light-years.


parsec

/ ˈpɑːˌsɛk /

noun

  1. a unit of astronomical distance equal to the distance from earth at which stellar parallax would be 1 second of arc; equivalent to 3.0857 × 10 16m or 3.262 light years
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


parsec

/ pärsĕk′ /

  1. A unit of astronomical length equal to 3.26 light-years. It is based on the distance from Earth at which a star would have a parallax of one second of arc. Its metric equivalent is about 30.8 trillion km (19.1 trillion mi). It is used in measuring distances in interstellar and intergalactic space. The closest star to Earth, Alpha Centauri, is about 1.3 parsecs away.


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Word History and Origins

Origin of parsec1

First recorded in 1910–15; par(allax) + sec(ond) 2
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Word History and Origins

Origin of parsec1

C20: from parallax + second ²

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parseParsee