light-years
Astronomical distance units
Light-years are units of astronomical distance—the distance light travels in one year, about 5.88 trillion miles.
The nearest star beyond our sun is over four light-years away.
In casual use, light-years suggests an enormous gap or advancement: Their technology is light-years ahead of ours.
We're still light-years from a solution.
Distance units for astronomy
- megaparsecsUnits measuring galactic separations
- astronomical unitsEarth-sun distance as yardstick
- parallaxPosition change from different vantages
- redshiftWavelength stretch from recession
Nearest spiral galaxy
- Proxima CentauriNearest stellar neighbor
- Alpha CentauriClosest star system
- SiriusNight's most luminous point
- BetelgeuseRed supergiant star
Vega · nearest star · exoplanet · deep space · interstellar travel · starlight · cosmic voyage · observable universe
Beyond comprehension or measurement
- incalculableBeyond numerical determination
- incomprehensibleImpossible to understand
- astronomicalRelating to outer space
- mind-bogglingOverwhelmingly difficult to grasp
staggering · inconceivable · unimaginable · vast · enormous · immense · colossal · tremendous
parsecs
Distance units for astronomy
- megaparsecsUnits measuring galactic separations
- astronomical unitsEarth-sun distance as yardstick
- parallaxPosition change from different vantages
Andromeda
Nearest spiral galaxy
- Proxima CentauriNearest stellar neighbor
- Alpha CentauriClosest star system
- SiriusNight's most luminous point
Betelgeuse · Vega · nearest star · exoplanet · deep space · interstellar travel · starlight · cosmic voyage · observable universe
unfathomable
Beyond comprehension or measurement
- incalculableBeyond numerical determination
- incomprehensibleImpossible to understand
- astronomicalRelating to outer space
mind-boggling · staggering · inconceivable · unimaginable · vast · enormous · immense · colossal · tremendous · monumental
ahead
In the lead
away · advanced · superior · progress · gap · difference · improvement · evolution · leap · chasm
- long distancelong distance, long haul, cross-country, miles, mileage
- cosmic distancesparsecs, megaparsec, astronomical units, cosmic scale
- remote placesremote, distant, far, faraway, afar
- cosmic matterstars, galaxies, dark matter, planets, cosmic dust
light-yearsnanometers
Billionths of meters
angstroms · millimeters · inches · centimeters · picometers
light-yearsinches
Small length units
baby steps · a stone's throw · spitting distance · within reach · neck and neck
light, years, lightly, lighten, yearly, daylight, lighting, lighted, lights