ScienceJuly 14, 2026
parsec
/ˈpɑːrsɛk/
Definition
A unit of distance used in astronomy, equal to about 3.26 light-years or 30.86 trillion kilometers.
Etymology
The word is a portmanteau derived from 'parallax' and 'second' of arc. It was coined in 1913 to describe the distance at which an object would have a stellar parallax of one arcsecond.
In the news
In this article, the term is used to define the scale of our local stellar neighborhood, with 20 parsecs equated to approximately 65 light-years to clarify the search area for white dwarf companions.
Scientists spot 4 superdense stellar corpses hiding behind their red dwarf companions
Read the full article ↗Space