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Hand


A hand is a traditional unit of length primarily used to measure the height of horses. It is equal to 4 inches or 10.16 centimeters.


The origin of the hand as a measurement comes from using the width of a human hand, and it has been standardized at 4 inches for consistency in horse measurement. Horse height is expressed in "hands," measured from the ground to the highest point of the withers (the ridge between the shoulder blades).


Key points:



  • 1 hand = 4 inches



  • 1 hand = 10.16 centimeters



  • Used mainly for measuring horse height



  • Horse height is often given in hands and inches, e.g., 15.2 hands means 15 hands plus 2 inches



The hand remains the standard unit for horse height in many English-speaking countries.


Astronomical Unit (a.u.) of Length


The astronomical unit (a.u.) is a unit of length used primarily in astronomy to describe distances within our solar system. It is defined as the average distance between the Earth and the Sun.


Key facts:



  • 1 astronomical unit ≈ 149,597,870.7 kilometers (about 93 million miles)



  • Used to measure distances between planets and other objects in the solar system



  • Provides a convenient scale for expressing space distances that are too large for kilometers but too small for light-years



The astronomical unit helps astronomers communicate and calculate orbits, planetary positions, and space missions with clarity and precision.




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