megaparsecs
Intergalactic length units
Megaparsecs is the plural of megaparsec, a unit of astronomical distance equal to one million parsecs or about 3.26 million light-years.
Astronomers use megaparsecs to measure distances between galaxies and across the observable universe: The Andromeda galaxy is about 0.78 megaparsecs from Earth.
Abbreviated Mpc.
Wavelength stretch from recession
- HubbleRenowned astronomer's surname
- expansionIncrease in scope
- universeComplete system or domain
- cosmicPertaining to the universe
Big Bang · dark energy · quasars · inflation · cosmological · singularity · relativity · observable universe
Units of astronomical distance
- parsecsDistance units for astronomy
- astronomical unitsEarth-sun distance as yardstick
- intergalacticSpanning multiple star systems
- extragalacticBeyond any galaxy's bounds
cosmic distances · superclusters · voids · filaments · cosmic scale · deep field
Accuracy of measurement
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- instrumentsTools for precise tasks
- Cepheid variablesStars with periodic luminosity
- distance ladderCalibrated sequence of astronomical measurements
Hubble Space Telescope · spectroscopy · photometry · magnitude
Nearest spiral galaxy
- Milky WayGalaxy containing Earth
- spiralCurve winding around center
- ellipticalOval-shaped or indirect
- dwarfDiminutive folkloric being
redshift
Wavelength stretch from recession
cosmic · Big Bang · dark energy · quasars · inflation · cosmological · singularity · relativity · observable universe
light-years
Units of astronomical distance
- parsecsDistance units for astronomy
- astronomical unitsEarth-sun distance as yardstick
- intergalacticSpanning multiple star systems
extragalactic · cosmic distances · superclusters · voids · filaments · cosmic scale · deep field
precision
Accuracy of measurement
- calibrationAdjusting for measurement accuracy
- instrumentsTools for precise tasks
- Cepheid variablesStars with periodic luminosity
distance ladder · Hubble Space Telescope · spectroscopy · photometry · magnitude
Andromeda
Nearest spiral galaxy
- Milky WayGalaxy containing Earth
- spiralCurve winding around center
- ellipticalOval-shaped or indirect
megaparsecsnanometers
Billionths of meters
angstroms · picometers · femtometers · millimeters · micrometers