Light Year to Parsec Converter
Convert Light Year (ly) to Parsec (pc) instantly. 1 ly = 0.306601 pc.
Length Converter
31 units available
1 ly = 0.306601 pc
Formula:
pc = ly × 0.3066013938With your value: 1 ly = 0.30660139 pc
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 Parsec conversions
Light Year to Parsec Conversion Table
| Light Year (ly) | Parsec (pc) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.153301 |
| 1 | 0.306601 |
| 2 | 0.613203 |
| 5 | 1.533007 |
| 10 | 3.066014 |
| 15 | 4.599021 |
| 20 | 6.132028 |
| 25 | 7.665035 |
| 50 | 15.33007 |
| 100 | 30.660139 |
| 250 | 76.650348 |
| 500 | 153.300697 |
| 1000 | 306.601394 |
Parsec to Light Year Conversion Table
| Parsec (pc) | Light Year (ly) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 1.630782 |
| 1 | 3.261564 |
| 2 | 6.523128 |
| 5 | 16.307819 |
| 10 | 32.615638 |
| 15 | 48.923457 |
| 20 | 65.231276 |
| 25 | 81.539094 |
| 50 | 163.078189 |
| 100 | 326.156378 |
| 250 | 815.390944 |
| 500 | 1,630.781889 |
| 1000 | 3,261.563777 |
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
Parsec (pc)
Length
One parsec is 648 000/π astronomical units ≈ 3.085 677 581 × 10¹⁶ m.
Source: IAU Resolution B2 (2012) — definition of the astronomical unit; IAU B2 (2015) nominal values
International Astronomical Union · Reviewed 2026-07-01
How to Convert Light Year to Parsec
To convert from Light Year (ly) to Parsec (pc), multiply the value by 0.3066013938.
Formula: pc = ly × 0.3066013938
Reverse: ly = pc × 3.2615637772
Step-by-Step Example
- Start with your value in Light Year. For example: 5 ly
- Multiply by the conversion factor: 5 x 0.3066013938
- The result is: 1.533007 pc
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 Parsec
The parsec is the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond, about 3.26 light years. Professional astronomers prefer it to the light year.
Common uses: astrophysics, star catalogues, cosmology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Parsec are in 1 Light Year?
There are exactly 0.3066013938 Parsec in 1 Light Year. This means the conversion factor from Light Year to Parsec is 0.3066013938.
What is the formula to convert Light Year to Parsec?
The formula to convert Light Year to Parsec is: pc = ly × 0.3066013938. For example, to convert 10 Light Year to Parsec, you would multiply 10 by 0.3066013938.
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 Parsec?
The parsec is the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond, about 3.26 light years. Professional astronomers prefer it to the light year.
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 Parsec converter. UnitConvertLab. Retrieved from https://unitconvertlab.com/convert/light_year-to-parsec