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Parsec Conversion Calculator

Work out parsec conversion instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Parsec Conversion Calculator

Parallax distance is simply the reciprocal of the annual parallax in arcseconds: d = 1/p parsecs. Proxima Centauri's 0.7687 arcsecond parallax gives 1.301 parsecs, or 4.24 light years. Gaia measures parallaxes to microarcseconds, extending reliable geometric distances to tens of thousands of parsecs.

Formulas

Parallax distance

d(parsecs) = 1 / parallax(arcseconds)

Unit relation

1 parsec = 3.26156 light years

Worked example

With the default values below, Parsec Conversion Calculator returns Distance In Parsecs of 1.3009. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Measured parallaxminimum 0 arcsec
0.7687 arcsec
Report distance inone of Light years, Parsecs, Kilometres
Light years

Results

Distance In Parsecs
1.3009
Distance In Light Years
4.2430
Distance In Kilometres
4.01415 × 10¹³
Distance In The Chosen Unit
4.24296 × 10⁰

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Parallax distance
  3. 3Unit relation
  4. 4Distance In Parsecs= 1.3009
  5. 5Distance In Light Years= 4.2430
  6. 6Distance In Kilometres= 40,141,500,000,000.00000
  7. 7Distance In The Chosen Unit= 4.24296

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 5 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the relationship a reciprocal?

Because parallax angle shrinks with distance. A star twice as far shifts half as much against the background over a year.

What limits parallax measurement?

Angular precision. Ground-based work reached about 0.01 arcseconds; Hipparcos reached 0.001 and Gaia around 0.00002.

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