Parsec to Megameter Converter

A parsec (pc) is a unit of length used in astronomy, equal to approximately 3.26 light-years or 206,265 astronomical units. It is defined as the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond.

The parsec was defined in 1913 by British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner. The name combines 'parallax' and 'arcsecond', referring to the trigonometric parallax method used to measure stellar distances. It became the preferred unit for professional astronomical distance measurements.

Parsecs are the standard unit for measuring stellar and galactic distances in professional astronomy. They're used in stellar catalogs, galactic structure studies, and cosmological research. Kiloparsecs and megaparsecs are used for larger cosmic distances.

A megameter (Mm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to one million meters (10⁶ m). It is commonly used to measure very large distances, particularly in astronomy and geography.

The megameter was introduced as part of the metric system's decimal-based approach to measurement. The prefix 'mega-' comes from the Greek word 'megas' meaning 'great' or 'large', and was officially adopted in 1960 as part of the International System of Units (SI).

Megameters are primarily used in scientific contexts, particularly in astronomy for measuring distances between celestial bodies within our solar system, and in geography for measuring very large terrestrial distances such as the diameter of planets or the distance between continents.