Physics

Parallax Calculator

Find a star's distance from its parallax angle.

Parameters Live Compute
Calculated Output
Distance (pc) 10
Distance (ly) 32.616
Formula: d (pc) = 1 ÷ parallax (arcsec)
Step-by-Step Breakdown
1. Values used:
2. Parallax angle = 0.1 arcsec
3.
4. Distance = 10pc
5. Distance = 32.616ly
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Parallax measures distance by the tiny shift in a star's position as Earth orbits the Sun.

The math behind it

d (parsecs) = 1 ÷ parallax (arcseconds). One parsec ≈ 3.26 light-years.

Worked Example

0.1 arcsec parallax → 10 pc (about 32.6 light-years).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it limited?

Tiny angles for distant stars are hard to measure, capping the method's range.

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