Astronomical Units (AU)

An Astronomical Unit (AU) is a standard 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. Scientists use the AU to simplify the comparison of distances between planets and other celestial bodies. For example, instead of saying Mars is about 142 million miles from the Sun, one might say it's about 1.52 AU, making it easier to grasp the relative distances in space.