Astronomical Units

An Astronomical Unit (AU) is a standard unit of measurement used in astronomy to describe distances within our solar system. It is defined as the average distance from the Earth to the Sun, approximately 93 million miles or about 150 million kilometers. This unit helps scientists and astronomers communicate distances more easily when discussing the positions of planets, moons, and other celestial bodies without resorting to very large numbers. For example, Mars is about 1.5 AU from the Sun, meaning it is 1.5 times farther away than Earth.