Foot to Light Year Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert feet to light years with our free online length converter.
Foot to Light Year Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Foot).
- The converted value in Light Year will appear automatically in the 'To' field.
- Use the dropdown menus to select different units within the Length category.
- Click the swap button (⇌) to reverse the conversion direction.
How to Convert Foot to Light Year
Converting Foot to Light Year involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Foot = 3.2216e-17 light yearsExample Calculation:
Convert 10 feet: 10 × 3.2216e-17 = 3.2216e-16 light years
Disclaimer: For Reference Only
These conversion results are provided for informational purposes only. While we strive for accuracy, we make no guarantees regarding the precision of these results, especially for conversions involving extremely large or small numbers which may be subject to the inherent limitations of standard computer floating-point arithmetic.
Not for professional use. Results should be verified before use in any critical application. View our Terms of Service for more information.
What is a Foot and a Light Year?
The foot (plural: feet) is a unit of length in the British imperial and United States customary systems of measurement. It is defined as exactly 12 inches or 0.3048 meters.
A light-year is a unit of astronomical distance equal to the distance that light travels in one Julian year in a vacuum (approximately 9.461 trillion kilometers or 5.879 trillion miles).
Note: The Foot is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Light Year belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Foot and Light Year
The foot has been used as a unit of length since antiquity, often based on the length of a human foot. Its exact length varied significantly over time and location until the international agreement in 1959 defined it precisely in terms of the meter.
The concept was first used by Friedrich Bessel in 1838 when measuring the distance to the star 61 Cygni.
Common Uses for feet and light years
Explore the typical applications for both Foot (imperial/US) and Light Year (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for feet
- Human Height: Measuring human height in the US and UK.
- US Dimensions: Measuring room dimensions, furniture sizes, and building layouts in the US.
- Aviation: Aviation altitude measurements (globally).
- US Construction: Construction and surveying in the US.
- Sports Fields: Describing lengths in sports fields (e.g., American football).
Common Uses for light years
- Measuring distances to stars and galaxies
- Expressing the vast scale of the universe in astronomy
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Foot (ft)
How many inches are in a foot?
There are exactly 12 inches (in) in 1 foot (ft).
How many feet are in a yard?
There are exactly 3 feet (ft) in 1 yard (yd).
How many feet are in a mile?
There are exactly 5,280 feet (ft) in 1 mile (mi).
About Light Year (ly)
Is a light-year a unit of time or distance?
A light-year (ly) is a unit of distance, not time. It represents the distance light travels in one year.
How far is a light-year in kilometers and miles?
One light-year is approximately 9.461 trillion kilometers (9.461 x 10^12 km) or 5.879 trillion miles (5.879 x 10^12 mi).
What is the closest star to Earth in light-years?
Excluding the Sun, the closest star system to Earth is Alpha Centauri, which is about 4.37 light-years away.
Conversion Table: Foot to Light Year
| Foot (ft) | Light Year (ly) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 0 |
| 10 | 0 |
| 25 | 0 |
| 50 | 0 |
| 100 | 0 |
| 500 | 0 |
| 1,000 | 0 |