Measuring Distance in Space

An astronomical unit is...

• The average distance between the Earth and the Sun

• The average distance between the Sun and Neptune

• The diameter of the sun

• The time it takes light to travel across our solar system

Astronomical units are used for

• Distances within a solar system

• Distances between solar systems

• Distances within galaxies

• Distances between galaxies

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The distance that light can travel in a year is called....

• A light second

• A light minute

• A light month

• A light year

_______________ would be the best unit to use to measure the distance between the asteroid belt and Pluto

• Astronomical units

• Light seconds

• Light years

• Parsecs

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

_______________ would be the best unit to use to measure the distance between the our sun and Proxima Centauri (our nearest star neighbor).

• Astronomical units

• Light seconds

• Light years

An object at the other end of the universe is billions of ___________ away.

• AUs

• Light seconds

• Light minutes

• Light years

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

A light-year (ly) is the distance that light travels in one year. If a star is 3 ly from Earth, how long does it take light from that star to reach Earth?

• 3 min

• 3 hours

• 3 years

• 3 months

Astronomers use the light-year to describe the relationship between objects in space. For example, the Andromeda galaxy is 2.5 million ly from Earth. Which of the following units is most similar to the light-year?

• gram

• second

• kilometer

• degrees Celsius

Which two objects in space are located farthest apart?

• Earth and Mars

• Earth and the sun

• Earth and the moon

• the Milky Way galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

A.U. (astronomical units) are used to measure distances between _?_.

• stars

• planets

• galaxies

• solar systems