Inch to Astronomical Unit Conversion Calculator: Free Online Tool
Convert inches to astronomical units with our free online length converter.
Inch to Astronomical Unit Calculator
How to Use the Calculator:
- Enter the value you want to convert in the 'From' field (Inch).
- The converted value in Astronomical Unit 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 Inch to Astronomical Unit
Converting Inch to Astronomical Unit involves multiplying the value by a specific conversion factor, as shown in the formula below.
Formula:
1 Inch = 1.6979e-13 astronomical unitsExample Calculation:
Convert 10 inches: 10 × 1.6979e-13 = 1.6979e-12 astronomical units
Note: Conversion factors can sometimes be rounded for display purposes. For precise calculations, always use the full factor or rely on the calculator above.
What is a Inch and a Astronomical Unit?
The inch is a unit of length in the British imperial and United States customary systems of measurement. It is defined as exactly 1/12 of a foot or 2.54 centimeters.
An astronomical unit is a unit of length roughly equal to the average distance between Earth and the Sun. It is defined as exactly 149,597,870,700 meters.
Note: The Inch is part of the imperial/US customary system, primarily used in the US, UK, and Canada for everyday measurements. The Astronomical Unit belongs to the imperial/US customary system.
History of the Inch and Astronomical Unit
The inch has ancient origins, historically related to the width of a thumb or the length of three barleycorns laid end-to-end. Its definition was standardized internationally in 1959 based on the metric system (1 inch = 2.54 cm exactly).
Historically used to measure distances within the Solar System, its value was refined over centuries through astronomical observations. The exact definition was adopted by the IAU in 2012.
Common Uses for inches and astronomical units
Explore the typical applications for both Inch (imperial/US) and Astronomical Unit (imperial/US) to understand their common contexts.
Common Uses for inches
- Everyday US Measurements: Everyday measurements in the US (e.g., height, paper size, screen sizes).
- US Construction: Construction and carpentry in the US.
- Apparel Sizing: Clothing sizes (e.g., waist size, inseam).
- US Meteorology: Measuring rainfall in the US.
- Engineering Components: Component sizes in some engineering fields.
Common Uses for astronomical units
- Measuring distances within the Solar System (e.g., planet orbits)
- Expressing distances to near-Earth objects
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions About Inch (in)
How many inches are in a foot?
There are exactly 12 inches (in) in 1 foot (ft).
How many centimeters are in an inch?
There are exactly 2.54 centimeters (cm) in 1 inch (in).
Where is the inch primarily used?
The inch is the standard unit for many everyday length measurements in the United States. It is also used to some extent in Canada and the UK, though metric is more common officially.
About Astronomical Unit (AU)
Why use Astronomical Units instead of kilometers or miles?
Astronomical Units (AU) provide a more convenient scale for the vast distances within our solar system. Expressing interplanetary distances in km or miles results in extremely large and unwieldy numbers.
How many kilometers/miles is 1 AU?
1 Astronomical Unit (AU) is approximately 149.6 million kilometers or 93 million miles.
How long does it take light to travel 1 AU?
It takes sunlight approximately 8 minutes and 20 seconds to travel the distance of one Astronomical Unit from the Sun to the Earth.
Conversion Table: Inch to Astronomical Unit
| Inch (in) | Astronomical Unit (AU) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0 |
| 5 | 0 |
| 10 | 0 |
| 25 | 0 |
| 50 | 0 |
| 100 | 0 |
| 500 | 0 |
| 1,000 | 0 |