span | 1 span | 2 span | 3 span | 4 span | 5 span | 6 span | 7 span | 8 span | 9 span | 10 span | 11 span | 12 span | 13 span | 14 span | 15 span | 16 span | 17 span | 18 span | 19 span | 20 span | 21 span | 22 span | 23 span | 24 span | 25 span | 26 span | 27 span | 28 span | 29 span | 30 span | 31 span | 32 span | 33 span | 34 span | 35 span | 36 span | 37 span | 38 span | 39 span | 40 span | 41 span | 42 span | 43 span | 44 span | 45 span | 46 span | 47 span | 48 span | 49 span | 50 span | 51 span | 52 span | 53 span | 54 span | 55 span | 56 span | 57 span | 58 span | 59 span | 60 span | 61 span | 62 span | 63 span | 64 span | 65 span | 66 span | 67 span | 68 span | 69 span | 70 span | 71 span | 72 span | 73 span | 74 span | 75 span | 76 span | 77 span | 78 span | 79 span | 80 span | 81 span | 82 span | 83 span | 84 span | 85 span | 86 span | 87 span | 88 span | 89 span | 90 span | 91 span | 92 span | 93 span | 94 span | 95 span | 96 span | 97 span | 98 span | 99 span | 100 span |
astronomical unit | 1.5280966161506 × 10-12 AU | 3.0561932323011 × 10-12 AU | 4.5842898484517 × 10-12 AU | 6.1123864646023 × 10-12 AU | 7.6404830807528 × 10-12 AU | 9.1685796969034 × 10-12 AU | 1.0696676313054 × 10-11 AU | 1.2224772929205 × 10-11 AU | 1.3752869545355 × 10-11 AU | 1.5280966161506 × 10-11 AU | 1.6809062777656 × 10-11 AU | 1.8337159393807 × 10-11 AU | 1.9865256009957 × 10-11 AU | 2.1393352626108 × 10-11 AU | 2.2921449242258 × 10-11 AU | 2.4449545858409 × 10-11 AU | 2.597764247456 × 10-11 AU | 2.750573909071 × 10-11 AU | 2.9033835706861 × 10-11 AU | 3.0561932323011 × 10-11 AU | 3.2090028939162 × 10-11 AU | 3.3618125555312 × 10-11 AU | 3.5146222171463 × 10-11 AU | 3.6674318787614 × 10-11 AU | 3.8202415403764 × 10-11 AU | 3.9730512019915 × 10-11 AU | 4.1258608636065 × 10-11 AU | 4.2786705252216 × 10-11 AU | 4.4314801868366 × 10-11 AU | 4.5842898484517 × 10-11 AU | 4.7370995100668 × 10-11 AU | 4.8899091716818 × 10-11 AU | 5.0427188332969 × 10-11 AU | 5.1955284949119 × 10-11 AU | 5.348338156527 × 10-11 AU | 5.501147818142 × 10-11 AU | 5.6539574797571 × 10-11 AU | 5.8067671413722 × 10-11 AU | 5.9595768029872 × 10-11 AU | 6.1123864646023 × 10-11 AU | 6.2651961262173 × 10-11 AU | 6.4180057878324 × 10-11 AU | 6.5708154494474 × 10-11 AU | 6.7236251110625 × 10-11 AU | 6.8764347726775 × 10-11 AU | 7.0292444342926 × 10-11 AU | 7.1820540959077 × 10-11 AU | 7.3348637575227 × 10-11 AU | 7.4876734191378 × 10-11 AU | 7.6404830807528 × 10-11 AU | 7.7932927423679 × 10-11 AU | 7.9461024039829 × 10-11 AU | 8.098912065598 × 10-11 AU | 8.2517217272131 × 10-11 AU | 8.4045313888281 × 10-11 AU | 8.5573410504432 × 10-11 AU | 8.7101507120582 × 10-11 AU | 8.8629603736733 × 10-11 AU | 9.0157700352883 × 10-11 AU | 9.1685796969034 × 10-11 AU | 9.3213893585185 × 10-11 AU | 9.4741990201335 × 10-11 AU | 9.6270086817486 × 10-11 AU | 9.7798183433636 × 10-11 AU | 9.9326280049787 × 10-11 AU | 1.0085437666594 × 10-10 AU | 1.0238247328209 × 10-10 AU | 1.0391056989824 × 10-10 AU | 1.0543866651439 × 10-10 AU | 1.0696676313054 × 10-10 AU | 1.0849485974669 × 10-10 AU | 1.1002295636284 × 10-10 AU | 1.1155105297899 × 10-10 AU | 1.1307914959514 × 10-10 AU | 1.1460724621129 × 10-10 AU | 1.1613534282744 × 10-10 AU | 1.1766343944359 × 10-10 AU | 1.1919153605974 × 10-10 AU | 1.2071963267589 × 10-10 AU | 1.2224772929205 × 10-10 AU | 1.237758259082 × 10-10 AU | 1.2530392252435 × 10-10 AU | 1.268320191405 × 10-10 AU | 1.2836011575665 × 10-10 AU | 1.298882123728 × 10-10 AU | 1.3141630898895 × 10-10 AU | 1.329444056051 × 10-10 AU | 1.3447250222125 × 10-10 AU | 1.360005988374 × 10-10 AU | 1.3752869545355 × 10-10 AU | 1.390567920697 × 10-10 AU | 1.4058488868585 × 10-10 AU | 1.42112985302 × 10-10 AU | 1.4364108191815 × 10-10 AU | 1.451691785343 × 10-10 AU | 1.4669727515045 × 10-10 AU | 1.482253717666 × 10-10 AU | 1.4975346838276 × 10-10 AU | 1.5128156499891 × 10-10 AU | 1.5280966161506 × 10-10 AU |
A span is the distance measured by a human hand, from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger. In ancient times, a span was considered to be half a cubit. Sometimes the distinction is made between the great span (thumb to little finger) and little span (index finger to little finger).
Name of unit | Symbol | Definition | Relation to SI units | Unit System |
---|---|---|---|---|
span | span | ≡ 9 in | = 0.2286 m | Imperial/US |
spans | astronomical units | spans | astronomical units |
---|---|---|---|
1 | = 1.5280966161506E-12 | 4 | = 6.1123864646023E-12 |
1.5 | = 2.2921449242258E-12 | 4.5 | = 6.8764347726775E-12 |
2 | = 3.0561932323011E-12 | 5 | = 7.6404830807528E-12 |
2.5 | = 3.8202415403764E-12 | 5.5 | = 8.4045313888281E-12 |
3 | = 4.5842898484517E-12 | 6 | = 9.1685796969034E-12 |
The astronomical unit (symbol: au or ua) is a unit of length, roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun. However, that distance varies as Earth orbits the Sun, from a maximum (aphelion) to a minimum (perihelion) and back again once a year. Originally conceived as the average of Earth's aphelion and perihelion, it is now defined as exactly 149 597 870 700 metres (about 150 million kilometres, or 93 million miles). The astronomical unit is used primarily as a convenient yardstick for measuring distances within the Solar System or around other stars. However, it is also a fundamental component in the definition of another unit of astronomical length, the parsec.
Name of unit | Symbol | Definition | Relation to SI units | Unit System |
---|---|---|---|---|
astronomical unit | AU | ≡ 149 597 870 700 m ≈ Distance from Earth to Sun | ≡ 149 597 870 700 m | Science - Astronomy (Length) |
astronomical units | spans | astronomical units | spans |
---|---|---|---|
1 | = 654408883202.1 | 4 | = 2617635532808.4 |
1.5 | = 981613324803.15 | 4.5 | = 2944839974409.4 |
2 | = 1308817766404.2 | 5 | = 3272044416010.5 |
2.5 | = 1636022208005.2 | 5.5 | = 3599248857611.5 |
3 | = 1963226649606.3 | 6 | = 3926453299212.6 |
spans | astronomical units |
---|---|
1 | = 1.5280966161506 × 10-12 |
654,408,883,202.1 | = 1 |
Symbol | Definition |
---|---|
≡ | exactly equal |
≈ | approximately equal to |
= | equal to |
digits | indicates that digits repeat infinitely (e.g. 8.294 369 corresponds to 8.294 369 369 369 369 …) |