Question 1

What is an Astronomical Unit (AU)?

Accepted Answer

An AU is the average distance from Earth to Sun: 149,597,870.7 km. Used for measuring distances within our solar system. Mars is about 1.5 AU from the Sun.

Question 2

How many kilometers in 1 AU?

Accepted Answer

Exactly 149,597,870.7 km. Neptune orbits at about 30 AU, while Pluto averages 39.5 AU from the Sun.

Question 3

Is this conversion factor exact?

Accepted Answer

Metric-to-metric conversions are exact (1 km = 1000 m). Imperial-to-metric factors like 1 inch = 2.54 cm are exact by international agreement.

Question 4

Why do some countries use different units?

Accepted Answer

Historical reasons - the metric system spread from France after 1795. The US, UK, and a few others retained older systems. Science uses metric worldwide.

Astronomical Units to Kilometers Converter

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