average distance from earth to sun in kilometers
Astronomical unit The astronomical unit (symbol: au[1][2][3] or ua[4]) is a unit of length, roughly the distance from Earth to the Sun. However, that distance varies as Earth orbits the Sun, from a maximum (aphelion) to a minimum (perihelion) and back again once a year. Originally conceived as the average of Earth's aphelion and perihelion, it is now defined as exactly 7011149597870700000â™ 149597870700 metres (about 150 million kilometres, or 93 million miles).[5] The astronomical unit is used primarily as a convenient yardstick for measuring distances within the Solar System or around other stars. However, it is also a fundamental component in the definition of another unit of astronomical length, the parsec.