Convert length and distance units — meters, feet, inches, kilometers, miles, light years and more.
| Unit | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0.001 km | 3.240e-17 pc | |
| 0.01 km | 3.240e-16 pc | |
| 0.1 km | 3.240e-15 pc | |
| 1 km | 3.240e-14 pc | |
| 5 km | 1.620e-13 pc | |
| 10 km | 3.240e-13 pc | |
| 50 km | 1.620e-12 pc | |
| 100 km | 3.240e-12 pc | |
| 1000 km | 3.240e-11 pc |
Multiply the number of Kilometers by 3.2404×10-14 to get Parsecs. Formula: pc = km × 3.2404×10-14. Example: 10 km × 3.2404×10-14 = 3.2404×10-13 pc. To reverse, divide Parsecs by 3.2404×10-14 to get Kilometers.
| Kilometer (km) | Parsec (pc) |
|---|---|
| 0.001 km | 3.2404×10-17 pc |
| 0.01 km | 3.2404×10-16 pc |
| 0.1 km | 3.2404×10-15 pc |
| 0.5 km | 1.6202×10-14 pc |
| 1 km | 3.2404×10-14 pc |
| 2 km | 6.4809×10-14 pc |
| 5 km | 1.6202×10-13 pc |
| 10 km | 3.2404×10-13 pc |
| 20 km | 6.4809×10-13 pc |
| 50 km | 1.6202×10-12 pc |
| 100 km | 3.2404×10-12 pc |
| 250 km | 8.1011×10-12 pc |
| 500 km | 1.6202×10-11 pc |
| 1000 km | 3.2404×10-11 pc |
| 10000 km | 3.2404×10-10 pc |
To convert Kilometer to Parsec, multiply by 3.2404×10-14. Example: 10 km = 3.2404×10-13 pc
To convert Parsec back to Kilometer, divide by 3.2404×10-14 (multiply by 3.086×1013). Use the swap button above.
Start with 100 Kilometers = 3.2404×10-12 pc as your reference point. Scale up or down from there.
Astronomers express stellar distances in parsecs (Proxima Centauri: 1.295 pc = 3.99×10¹³ km). Converting between km and parsecs is fundamental in astrophysics when comparing radar-ranging results with parallax measurements.
The Milky Way disc is ~30 kiloparsecs in diameter (9.25×10¹⁷ km). Galactic astronomers convert between km (from simulations) and parsecs (from observations) constantly in computational astrophysics.
LIGO and Virgo detect gravitational waves from mergers at distances expressed in megaparsecs. Converting source distances from parsecs to km is essential when calculating expected signal strength and calibrating detector sensitivity.
The ESA Gaia mission measures stellar parallaxes giving distances in parsecs. Astrometrists convert to km when comparing Gaia results with radar ranging of nearby objects measured in km/s Doppler velocity.
N-body galaxy simulations produce output in km/s velocities and parsec-scale separations. Cosmologists convert between km and parsecs when comparing simulation results with observed galaxy redshift surveys.
1 parsec = 3.086×10¹³ km — 30 trillion kilometres. Astronomy educators use this km-to-parsec definition to make the parsec concrete: "One parsec is the distance at which a gap of 150 million km (1 AU) looks 1 arcsecond wide."
The Kilometer is a unit of Length measurement (symbol: km). 1 km = 3.2404×10-14 pc. Used in scientific and practical Length measurement applications.
The Parsec is a unit of Length measurement (symbol: pc). It is part of an internationally recognised measurement system used alongside the Kilometer.
The kilometre was introduced in 1795 as part of the French metric system — exactly 1,000 metres. France was the first country to adopt a universal decimal measurement system, replacing a chaotic patchwork of regional units. The metre itself was defined as one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator through Paris. By the 20th century, the kilometre had become the world's standard unit for road distances, replacing miles in country after country. The US remains the only major exception, still officially using miles for road distances.
The parsec was introduced in 1913 by British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner. It equals the distance at which 1 astronomical unit subtends 1 arcsecond — approximately 3.086×10¹³ kilometres or 3.26 light-years. The name blends 'parallax' and 'arcsecond'. Professional astronomers strongly prefer parsecs over light-years because parallax directly yields distance in parsecs without intermediate calculation.
Common use: Kilometer to Parsec conversion is needed when working with international standards, scientific publications, or reference materials that use different unit systems for Length measurement.