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− | One '''light year''' is the distance that [[light]] travels in one [[Earth]] [[year]]. It is approximately equal to 9.46 {{exp| |
+ | One '''light year''' is the distance that [[light]] travels in one [[Earth]] [[year]]. It is approximately equal to 9.46 {{exp|12}} [[kilometer]]s, or 5.88 {{exp|12}} [[mile]]s. |
Light years are common units of measurement used in [[starship]] navigation. |
Light years are common units of measurement used in [[starship]] navigation. |
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! Source |
! Source |
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! year (days) |
! year (days) |
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− | ! light year ( |
+ | ! light year (kilometers) |
! light year (miles) |
! light year (miles) |
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|- |
|- |
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| IAU || 365.25 |
| IAU || 365.25 |
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− | | 9,460,730,472, |
+ | | 9,460,730,472,581 |
| 5,878,625,373,184 |
| 5,878,625,373,184 |
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|- |
|- |
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| Gregorian || 365.2425 |
| Gregorian || 365.2425 |
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− | | 9,460,536,207,068 |
+ | | 9,460,536,207,068 |
| 5,878,504,662,190 |
| 5,878,504,662,190 |
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|- |
|- |
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| Google || 365.242199 |
| Google || 365.242199 |
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− | | 9.460 528 4 {{exp| |
+ | | 9.460 528 4 {{exp|12}} |
| 5.878 499 81 {{exp|12}} |
| 5.878 499 81 {{exp|12}} |
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|- |
|- |
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| Yahoo || 365.2411<sup>‡</sup> |
| Yahoo || 365.2411<sup>‡</sup> |
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− | | 9.460 5 {{exp| |
+ | | 9.460 5 {{exp|12}} |
| 5,878,482,164,161 |
| 5,878,482,164,161 |
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|} |
|} |
Revision as of 05:20, 10 July 2010
One light year is the distance that light travels in one Earth year. It is approximately equal to 9.46 ×1012 kilometers, or 5.88 ×1012 miles.
Light years are common units of measurement used in starship navigation.
When Commander Benjamin Sisko welcomed the first guest from the Gamma Quadrant in the Alpha Quadrant, a Tosk, he told him that he traveled almost ninety thousand light years through the wormhole. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")
In 2369, a Vanoben transport was raided two light years away from Deep Space 9. (DS9: "Vortex")
The same year, Sisko told Kai Opaka that the Gamma Quadrant is seventy thousand light years away from Bajor. (DS9: "Battle Lines")
Related links
Background
The exact length of a light year depends on the exact length used for one "Earth year". The IAU uses a Julian year of 365.25 days, while other sources may use a Gregorian year of 365.2425 days, or another year altogether.
Source | year (days) | light year (kilometers) | light year (miles) |
---|---|---|---|
IAU | 365.25 | 9,460,730,472,581 | 5,878,625,373,184 |
Gregorian | 365.2425 | 9,460,536,207,068 | 5,878,504,662,190 |
365.242199 | 9.460 528 4 | ×10125.878 499 81 | ×1012|
Yahoo | 365.2411‡ | 9.460 5 | ×10125,878,482,164,161 |
‡ Note that while Yahoo separately reports a year length of 365.24220 days, its rounding of the light year length to five digits works out to a year length of ~365.2411 days.