Light Year to Meter Converter
Convert Light Year (ly) to Meter (m) instantly. 1 ly = 9.460730e+15 m.
Length Converter
31 units available
1 ly = 9.460730e+15 m
Formula:
m = ly × 9.460730e+15With your value: 1 ly = 9.460730e+15 m
How big is that?
Everyday references on a logarithmic scale, all expressed in light year so you can sanity-check the result.
Other Light Year to Meter conversions
Light Year to Meter Conversion Table
| Light Year (ly) | Meter (m) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 4.730365e+15 |
| 1 | 9.460730e+15 |
| 2 | 1.892146e+16 |
| 5 | 4.730365e+16 |
| 10 | 9.460730e+16 |
| 15 | 1.419110e+17 |
| 20 | 1.892146e+17 |
| 25 | 2.365183e+17 |
| 50 | 4.730365e+17 |
| 100 | 9.460730e+17 |
| 250 | 2.365183e+18 |
| 500 | 4.730365e+18 |
| 1000 | 9.460730e+18 |
Meter to Light Year Conversion Table
| Meter (m) | Light Year (ly) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 5.285004e-17 |
| 1 | 1.057001e-16 |
| 2 | 2.114002e-16 |
| 5 | 5.285004e-16 |
| 10 | 1.057001e-15 |
| 15 | 1.585501e-15 |
| 20 | 2.114002e-15 |
| 25 | 2.642502e-15 |
| 50 | 5.285004e-15 |
| 100 | 1.057001e-14 |
| 250 | 2.642502e-14 |
| 500 | 5.285004e-14 |
| 1000 | 1.057001e-13 |
Where these values come from
Every factor on this page is traced to the document that defines it. See the full provenance dataset or our methodology.
Light Year (ly)
Length
A light-year is the distance light travels in one Julian year: 9 460 730 472 580 800 m exactly.
Source: IAU Resolution B2 (2012) — definition of the astronomical unit; IAU B2 (2015) nominal values
International Astronomical Union · Reviewed 2026-07-01
Meter (m)
Length
The metre is defined by taking the speed of light in vacuum to be exactly 299 792 458 m/s, with the second defined by the caesium frequency.
Source: BIPM, The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition, 2019 (updated 2024)
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures · Reviewed 2026-07-01
How to Convert Light Year to Meter
To convert from Light Year (ly) to Meter (m), multiply the value by 9.460730e+15.
Formula: m = ly × 9.460730e+15
Reverse: ly = m × 1.057001e-16
Step-by-Step Example
- Start with your value in Light Year. For example: 5 ly
- Multiply by the conversion factor: 5 x 9.460730e+15
- The result is: 4.730365e+16 m
About Light Year
A light year is the distance light travels through a vacuum in one Julian year — exactly 9,460,730,472,580,800 metres. It is a unit of distance, not of time.
Fun Fact: Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Sun, sits about 4.25 light years away.
Common uses: astronomy, popular science, education.
About Meter
The meter is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It was originally defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole.
Fun Fact: The meter was redefined in 1983 as the distance light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.
Common uses: construction, athletics, science.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Meter are in 1 Light Year?
There are exactly 9.460730e+15 Meter in 1 Light Year. This means the conversion factor from Light Year to Meter is 9.460730e+15.
What is the formula to convert Light Year to Meter?
The formula to convert Light Year to Meter is: m = ly × 9.460730e+15. For example, to convert 10 Light Year to Meter, you would multiply 10 by 9.460730e+15.
What is a Light Year?
A light year is the distance light travels through a vacuum in one Julian year — exactly 9,460,730,472,580,800 metres. It is a unit of distance, not of time.
What is a Meter?
The meter is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). It was originally defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the equator to the North Pole.
What are the common uses of Light Year?
The Light Year is commonly used in astronomy, popular science, education.
Related Length Conversions
Cite this page
UnitConvertLab. (2026). Light Year to Meter converter. UnitConvertLab. Retrieved from https://unitconvertlab.com/convert/light_year-to-meter