Convert length and distance units — meters, feet, inches, kilometers, miles, light years and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 au | 7.43657e+06 chain | |
| 0.01 au | 7.43657e+07 chain | |
| 0.1 au | 7.43657e+08 chain | |
| 1 au | 7.43657e+09 chain | |
| 5 au | 3.71829e+10 chain | |
| 10 au | 7.43657e+10 chain | |
| 50 au | 3.71829e+11 chain | |
| 100 au | 7.43657e+11 chain | |
| 1000 au | 7.43657e+12 chain |
Multiply the number of Astronomical Units by 7436570000 to get Chains. Formula: chain = au × 7436570000. Example: 10 au × 7436570000 = 74365700000 chain. To reverse, divide Chains by 7436570000 to get Astronomical Units.
| Astronomical Unit (au) | Chain (chain) |
|---|---|
| 0.001 au | 7436570 chain |
| 0.01 au | 74365700 chain |
| 0.1 au | 743657000 chain |
| 0.5 au | 3718290000 chain |
| 1 au | 7436570000 chain |
| 2 au | 14873100000 chain |
| 5 au | 37182900000 chain |
| 10 au | 74365700000 chain |
| 20 au | 148731000000 chain |
| 50 au | 371829000000 chain |
| 100 au | 743657000000 chain |
| 250 au | 1.8591×1012 chain |
| 500 au | 3.7183×1012 chain |
| 1000 au | 7.4366×1012 chain |
| 10000 au | 7.4366×1013 chain |
To convert Astronomical Unit to Chain, multiply by 7436570000. Example: 10 au = 74365700000 chain
To convert Chain back to Astronomical Unit, divide by 7436570000 (multiply by 1.3447×10-10). Use the swap button above.
Start with 100 Astronomical Units = 743657000000 chain as your reference point. Scale up or down from there.
Physics and astronomy educators use AU-to-chain conversions to demonstrate the extraordinary range of length scales humans have devised measurement systems for — from land survey chains to interplanetary distances.
The chain (1620) and the astronomical unit (formalised 1976) represent very different eras of measurement. Comparing them illustrates how science expanded our measurement needs from field-scale to solar-system-scale.
Some long-range simulation systems require unit consistency across all scales. Converting between AU for orbital mechanics and chains for land-surface models occurs when modelling planetary impacts or space debris re-entry trajectories.
Popular science writers use AU-to-chain comparisons to help general audiences understand astronomical distances — "the Earth-Sun distance expressed in surveyor's chains" is a viscerally striking illustration.
Geodesists connecting terrestrial survey networks (historically using chains) with satellite positioning systems referenced to AU-scale orbital parameters occasionally need cross-scale unit conversion.
Comprehensive scientific unit converters include all standardised length units — from atomic-scale angstroms to astronomical units — ensuring researchers can convert between any units encountered in historical or cross-disciplinary literature.
The Astronomical Unit is a unit of Length measurement (symbol: au). 1 au = 7436570000 chain. Used in scientific and practical Length measurement applications.
The Chain is a unit of Length measurement (symbol: chain). It is part of an internationally recognised measurement system used alongside the Astronomical Unit.
The astronomical unit has ancient roots — Aristarchus of Samos attempted to measure the Earth-Sun distance around 270 BC, estimating it at 18–20 lunar distances (the true value is about 390). For centuries the AU was estimated using Venus transit observations and trigonometry. Edmond Halley organised the first coordinated international transit-of-Venus expedition in 1716 to measure it precisely. The modern value was determined by radar ranging to Venus in 1961. The IAU formally defined the AU as exactly 149,597,870,700 metres in 2012 — a fixed constant of physics, not a measured distance.
Edmund Gunter, an English mathematician, invented the surveyor's chain in 1620 as a practical tool for measuring land. His design — 100 links totalling exactly 66 feet — was brilliantly chosen: 10 chains × 10 chains = 1 acre, making area calculation trivially simple in the field. 80 chains = 1 mile, 10 chains = 1 furlong. The chain became the standard survey unit across the British Empire and is written into American law — the US Public Land Survey System still divides land using chains and links. Old deeds in the UK, US, Australia, and Canada still reference chains.
Common use: Astronomical Unit to Chain conversion is needed when working with international standards, scientific publications, or reference materials that use different unit systems for Length measurement.