astronomical unit | has symbol AU | ![has source: Hopkins, J. 1976 Glossary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago Press, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 has source: Hopkins, J. 1976 Glossary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago Press, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
has value in SI unit 1 au = 1.49598 × 1011 m, approximately | ![2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
has definition Mean distance between the Earth and the Sun: 1.495985 × 1011 m. | ![has source: Abbot, D. 1984 Astronomers, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 has source: Abbot, D. 1984 Astronomers, Peter Bedrick Books, New York, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
has definition The AU is the preferred unit for distances within the solar system. Mercury, the innermost planet, lies on average 0.39 AU from the Sun; Pluto, normally the farthest planet, lies on average 39.5 AU from the Sun. | ![has source: Croswell, K. 1995 The Alchemy of the Heavens, Anchor Books, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 has source: Croswell, K. 1995 The Alchemy of the Heavens, Anchor Books, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
has definition The mean distance between the Earth and the Sun. The astronomical unit is defined as the length of the radius of the unperturbed circular orbit of a body of negligible mass moving around the Sun with a sidereal angular velocity of 0.017202098950 radian per day of 86400 ephemeris seconds. AU = 1.496 × 1013 cm ≈ 500 lt-sec. | ![has source: Hopkins, J. 1976 Glossary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago Press, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 has source: Hopkins, J. 1976 Glossary of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago Press, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
has definition The mean distance from the earth to the sun, equal to 92.81 million miles or 499.012 light-seconds. | ![has source: Ferris, T. 1988 Coming of Age in the Milky Way, Morrow, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 has source: Ferris, T. 1988 Coming of Age in the Milky Way, Morrow, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
has definition The radius of a circular orbit in which a body of negligible mass, and free of perturbations, would revolve around the Sun in 2π / k days, where k is the Gaussian gravitational constant. This is slightly less than the semi-major axis of the Earth's orbit. | ![has source: Seidelman, P. 1992 Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac, University Science Books, Mill Valley, CA, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 has source: Seidelman, P. 1992 Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac, University Science Books, Mill Valley, CA, 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
is an instance of length unit | ![2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
is an instance of non SI unit | ![2001-09-27 09:32:46.0 2001-09-27 09:32:46.0](facet.gif) |
length unit | is a unit of length | ![2001-09-27 09:32:45.0 2001-09-27 09:32:45.0](facet.gif) |
unit | has historical origin | ![2001-09-27 09:32:42.0 2001-09-27 09:32:42.0](facet.gif) |
represents | ![2001-09-27 09:32:42.0 2001-09-27 09:32:42.0](facet.gif) |