Convert astronomical distances: Parsecs to Light Years (pc to ly).
In the vastness of the universe, kilometers and miles are useless. Astronomers use Parsecs (pc) and Light Years (ly). While a light year is the distance light travels in one year, a parsec is a unit derived from the trigonometry of Earth's orbit.
One parsec is approximately equal to 3.26156 light years. Scientists prefer the parsec because it is directly measurable via the "Parallax" method, whereas the light year is more of a descriptive unit for the general public.