Light-Year Distance Calculator
Convert between astronomical distance units or look up distances to familiar celestial objects. One light-year is the distance light travels in one Julian year (365.25 days) in a vacuum.
Distance Conversions
Astronomical Distance Objects
| Object | Distance (ly) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Moon | 0.0000000124 | Natural satellite |
| Sun | 0.0000158 | Star (our solar system) |
| Proxima Centauri | 4.243 | Nearest star |
| Sirius (Alpha CMa) | 8.6 | Brightest star in sky |
| Vega | 25 | Bright northern star |
| Pleiades cluster | 444 | Open star cluster |
| Orion Nebula | 1,344 | Stellar nursery |
| Galactic Center | 26,000 | Milky Way center |
| Andromeda Galaxy | 2,537,000 | Nearest major galaxy |
References & Methodology
- IAU (International Astronomical Union) Resolution B2 (2012) — Defines the astronomical unit (AU) as exactly 149,597,870,700 m; basis for light-year and parsec conversions.
- Carroll, B.W. & Ostlie, D.A. — An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics (2nd ed., Pearson) — Standard reference for astronomical distances, parallax, and coordinate systems.
- SIMBAD Astronomical Database (CDS, Strasbourg) — Source for stellar distances used in the reference table (Hipparcos/Gaia parallax data).