Understanding Parsecs to Chains Conversion
A parsec (pc) is a unit of interstellar distance of about 3.086 x 10¹⁶ meters, while a chain (ch) is a surveyor's length of 66 feet (about 20.117 m) rooted in English land measurement. Pairing these two units is a study in extremes: one spans the gulf between stars, the other laid out fields and railways. The conversion is mainly instructive, showing how many surveyor's chains would tile the distance to a star.
Conversion Formula
To convert parsecs to chains, multiply by this factor:
Step-by-Step Example
Convert 25 parsecs to chains.
How to Convert Parsecs to Chains
Restate a star distance in old surveyor's chains.
- Begin with parsecs: the astronomical distance.
- Multiply by 1.533881 x 10¹⁵: chains per parsec.
- Use scientific notation: the count is astronomically large.
- Worked result: 25 pc x 1.533881e15 = 3.834703e16 ch.
parsecs to chains conversion table
| parsecs (pc) | chains (ch) |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 1533881000000000 |
| 2 | 3067762000000000 |
| 3 | 4601643000000000 |
| 4 | 6135524000000000 |
| 5 | 7669405000000000 |
| 6 | 9203286000000000 |
| 7 | 10737170000000000 |
| 8 | 12271050000000000 |
| 9 | 13804930000000000 |
| 10 | 15338810000000000 |
| 15 | 23008210000000000 |
| 20 | 30677620000000000 |
| 25 | 38347020000000000 |
| 30 | 46016430000000000 |
| 40 | 61355240000000000 |
| 50 | 76694050000000000 |
| 60 | 92032860000000000 |
| 70 | 107371700000000000 |
| 80 | 122710500000000000 |
| 90 | 138049300000000000 |
| 100 | 153388100000000000 |
| 150 | 230082100000000000 |
| 200 | 306776200000000000 |
| 250 | 383470200000000000 |
| 300 | 460164300000000000 |
| 400 | 613552400000000000 |
| 500 | 766940500000000000 |
| 600 | 920328600000000000 |
| 700 | 1073717000000000000 |
| 800 | 1227105000000000000 |
| 900 | 1380493000000000000 |
| 1000 | 1533881000000000000 |
| 2000 | 3067762000000000000 |
| 3000 | 4601643000000000000 |
| 4000 | 6135524000000000000 |
| 5000 | 7669405000000000000 |
| 10000 | 15338810000000000000 |
| 25000 | 38347020000000000000 |
| 50000 | 76694050000000000000 |
| 100000 | 153388100000000000000 |
| 250000 | 383470200000000000000 |
| 500000 | 766940500000000000000 |
| 1000000 | 1.533881e+21 |
What is the parsec?
The parsec (pc) is a unit of length used in astronomy to measure large distances to objects beyond the Solar System, such as stars and galaxies.
Definition
One parsec is the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of one arcsecond.
By the 2015 IAU exact definition, 1 pc = 648000/π au = 30,856,775,814,913,673 m. This equals about 3.2616 light-years or 206,265 astronomical units.
Origin and History
The term "parsec"—a contraction of "parallax of one arcsecond"—was coined by British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner in 1913. It arises naturally from the method of stellar parallax: a star one parsec away shifts by one arcsecond against the background as Earth moves from one side of its orbit to the other. The unit gave astronomers a convenient measure tied directly to their primary distance-measuring technique.
Law and Notable Facts
The parsec is accepted for use with the SI in astronomy. Multiples are common: the kiloparsec (kpc, thousands of parsecs) for galactic scales and the megaparsec (Mpc, millions) for intergalactic distances. No star lies within one parsec of the Sun; Proxima Centauri, the nearest, is about 1.30 pc away.
Real-World Examples and Conversions
- Proxima Centauri lies about 1.30 pc (4.24 light-years) from Earth.
- The Milky Way's disk spans roughly 30,000 pc (30 kpc) across.
- The Andromeda Galaxy is about 0.78 Mpc away.
- 1 pc ≈ 3.2616 light-years ≈ 206,265 au ≈ 30.857 trillion km.
What is the chain?
The chain (ch) is a unit of length in the imperial and US customary systems, equal to 66 feet, traditionally used in surveying and land measurement.
Definition
One chain equals 66 feet, or 22 yards, or 4 rods.
There are 80 chains in a mile and 10 square chains in an acre. This value uses the international foot; the US survey chain is larger by a factor of 1200/1199, giving about 20.11684 m.
Origin and History
The chain is named for Gunter's chain, a physical measuring device introduced by the English clergyman and mathematician Edmund Gunter around 1620. It consisted of 100 iron links totalling 66 feet, elegantly bridging the traditional (base-4/16.5) and decimal systems: distances could be recorded in decimal links yet still yield whole numbers of acres and miles. It became the standard tool of English and American surveyors for centuries.
Law and Notable Facts
The chain underpins the US Public Land Survey System, in which section lines and township grids were laid out in chains. A cricket pitch measures exactly one chain (22 yards) between the wickets—a lasting everyday trace of the unit. The chain is now largely obsolete outside historical land records and cricket.
Real-World Examples and Conversions
- A cricket pitch is 1 chain = 22 yards = 66 ft long.
- 1 chain = 100 links = 4 rods = 20.1168 m.
- 80 chains = 1 statute mile.
- An acre is 1 chain by 10 chains (10 square chains).
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a surveyor's chain?
A chain is 66 feet, or about 20.117 meters, and 80 chains make one mile.
How many chains are in a parsec?
About 1.533881 x 10¹⁵ chains.
How do I convert chains back to parsecs?
Multiply chains by 6.519411e-16 to obtain parsecs.
Why compare parsecs and chains at all?
The two units come from wildly different domains, astronomy and land surveying, so the conversion is mostly a scale illustration rather than a working calculation.
What is 1 pc in chains, rounded?
Roughly 1.53 quadrillion chains.
People also convert
Complete parsecs conversion table
| Unit | Result |
|---|---|
| Nanometers (nm) | 3.085678e+25 nm |
| Micrometers (μm) | 3.085678e+22 μm |
| Millimeters (mm) | 30856780000000000000 mm |
| Centimeters (cm) | 3085678000000000000 cm |
| Decimeters (dm) | 308567800000000000 dm |
| Meters (m) | 30856780000000000 m |
| Kilometers (km) | 30856780000000 km |
| light-years (ly) | 3.261564 ly |
| astronomical units (au) | 206264.8 au |
| ångströms (angstrom) | 3.085678e+26 angstrom |
| Mils (mil) | 1.214834e+21 mil |
| Inches (in) | 1214834000000000000 in |
| Yards (yd) | 33745380000000000 yd |
| US Survey Feet (ft-us) | 101235900000000000 ft-us |
| Feet (ft) | 101236100000000000 ft |
| Fathoms (fathom) | 16872690000000000 fathom |
| Miles (mi) | 19173510000000 mi |
| Nautical Miles (nMi) | 16661330000000 nMi |
| chains (ch) | 1533881000000000 ch |
| rods (rd) | 6135524000000000 rd |
| furlongs (fur) | 153388100000000 fur |
| hands (hh) | 303708400000000000 hh |