Photometry & distance · d = 1 / p
Parallax Distance
The most direct distance measurement: a star's distance in parsecs is the reciprocal of its annual parallax in arcseconds. A parallax of one arcsecond defines one parsec — but no star is that close.
Distance10pc
Formula: d = 1 / p
Worked example
With the default inputs, parallax distance evaluates to 10 pc — 0.1″ → 10 pc. The validator recomputes this against the known value on every build, so the formula is checked, not asserted.
Highlights
- ›0.1″ → 10 pc
The physics behind it
Knowledge connections
- Associated withParallax
- Associated withAngular Diameter
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.