Convert kilometer to light year Online | Free Length Converter

Kilometer

A kilometer (km) is a unit of length in the metric system, used to measure long distances. One kilometer equals 1,000 meters or about 0.62 miles. Kilometers are commonly used to measure distances between cities, in road signs, and in running or walking events. For example, a marathon is 42.195 kilometers long. The symbol for kilometer is "km". Most countries around the world use kilometers instead of miles for speed and distance, especially in transportation. Because it covers a large distance, the kilometer is not used for measuring small objects but is perfect for travel and mapping.

Light Year

A light year is a unit of distance used in astronomy to measure how far light travels in one year. Light moves extremely fast—about 299,792 kilometers per second—so in one year, it travels roughly 9.46 trillion kilometers (or about 5.88 trillion miles). Light years help scientists express the huge distances between stars and galaxies. For example, the nearest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri, is about 4.24 light years away. The term “light year” can be confusing because it sounds like a measure of time, but it actually measures distance.