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Span (Cloth)

A span is an old unit of length based on the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the little finger of a fully extended hand. Traditionally, it measures about 9 inches or 22.86 centimeters.

In the context of cloth and textiles, the span was used as a convenient, informal measure to estimate small lengths of fabric before standardized rulers became widespread. It was helpful for tailors and traders to quickly gauge lengths during measuring and cutting.

While the span is largely obsolete as a formal unit today, it reflects historical measurement practices tied closely to the human body, similar to the cubit or hand.

Summary:

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  1 span ≈ 9 inches (22.86 cm)

  
  
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  Based on the hand’s spread

  
  
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  Used historically in cloth measurement and tailoring

  
  
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  Now mostly of historical and cultural interest

Parsec

A parsec (pc) is a unit of distance used in astronomy, equal to about 3.26 light-years or roughly 31 trillion kilometers. The name “parsec” comes from “parallax of one arcsecond,” referring to the method astronomers use to measure distances to nearby stars based on their apparent shift when viewed from different positions in Earth’s orbit. Parsecs are commonly used to measure distances to stars and galaxies. For example, the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, is about 1.3 parsecs away. The symbol for parsec is "pc". It’s a convenient unit for expressing large astronomical distances beyond the reach of light-years.