Since 2019, defined as the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second, where the second is defined by a hyperfine transition frequency of caesium.
Lower bound of the (possibly infinite) radius of the universe, if it is a 3-sphere, according to one estimate using the WMAP data at 95% confidence[52] It equivalently implies that there are at minimum 21 particle horizon-sized volumes in the universe.
According to the laws of probability, the distance one must travel until one encounters a volume of space identical to our observable universe with conditions identical to our own.[53][54]
1.6 × 10−5 quectometres (1.6 × 10−35 metres) – the Planck length (Measures of distance shorter than this do not make physical sense, according to current theories of physics.)
1 qm – 1 quectometre, the smallest named subdivision of the metre in the SI base unit of length, one nonillionth of a metre.[56]
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists lengths between 10−13m and 10−12 m (100 fm and 1 pm).
570 fm – typical distance from the atomic nucleus of the two innermost electrons (electrons in the 1s shell) in the uranium atom, the heaviest naturally-occurring atom
The nanometre (SI symbol: nm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 10−9metres (1/1000000000m=0.000000001m).
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists lengths between 10−9 and 10−8 m (1nm and 10nm).
200nm – typical size of a Mycoplasma bacterium, among the smallest bacteria
300nm – greatest particle size that can fit through a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter (N100 removes up to 99.97% at 300 nm, N95 removes up to 95% at 300 nm)[73]
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists lengths between 10−4m and 10−3 m (100μm and 1mm). The term myriometre (abbr. mom, equivalent to 100 micrometres; frequently confused with the myriametre, 10 kilometres)[86] is deprecated; the decimal metric prefix myrio-[87] is obsolete[88][89][90] and was not included among the prefixes when the International System of Units was introduced in 1960.
100 μm – 1/10 of a millimetre
100 μm – 0.00394inches
100 μm – smallest distance that can be seen with the naked eye
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists lengths between one metre and ten metres.
Light, in vacuum, travels 1 metre in 1⁄299,792,458, or 3.3356409519815E-9 of a second.
1.63 m – (5 feet 4 inches) (or 64 inches) – height of average U.S. female human as of 2002[update] (source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
1.75 m – (5 feet 8 inches) – height of average U.S. male human as of 2002[update] (source: U.S. CDC as per female above)
15 metres – approximate distance the tropical circles of latitude are moving towards the equator and the polar circles are moving towards the poles each year due to a natural, gradual decrease in the Earth's axial tilt
16 metres – length of a sperm whale, the largest toothed whale
18 metres – height of a Sauroposeidon, the tallest-known dinosaur
20 metres – length of a Leedsichthys, the largest-known fish to have lived
21 metres – height of High Force waterfall in England
30.5 metres – length of the lion's mane jellyfish, the largest jellyfish in the world
33 metres – length of a blue whale,[114] the largest animal on earth, living or extinct, in terms of mass
39 metres – length of a Supersaurus, the longest-known dinosaur and longest vertebrate[115]
66km – diameter of Naiad, the innermost of Neptune's moons
A length of 100 kilometres (about 62 miles), as a rough amount, is relatively common in measurements on Earth and for some astronomical objects.
It is the altitude at which the FAI defines spaceflight to begin.
989 Mm – diameter of Epsilon Indi, one of the nearest stars to Earth
; lower part: their darker mirror images (artist's interpretation).
The gigametre (SI symbol: Gm) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1000000000metres (109m).
To help compare different distances this section lists lengths starting at 109metres (1 gigametre (Gm) or 1 billion metres).
5.0 Gm – closest approach of Comet Halley to Earth, happened on 10 April 837
5.0 Gm – (proposed) Size of the arms of the giant triangle shaped Michelson interferometer of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) planned to start observations sometime in the 2030s.
7.9 Gm – diameter of Gamma Orionis, a blue dwarf or blue giant
35 Gm – approximate diameter of Arcturus, a close red giant star.[163] It is on the red giant branch, fusing hydrogen into helium in a shell surrounding an inert helium core.[162]
46 Gm – perihelion distance of Mercury (yellow ellipse on the right)
55 Gm – 60,000-year perigee of Mars (last achieved on 27 August 2003)
58 Gm – average passing distance between Earth and Mars at the moment they overtake each other in their orbits
61 Gm – diameter of Aldebaran, a red giant branch star (large star on right)[164]
1.35 Tm – 9.04 au – estimated diameter of Mu Cephei, a red supergiant (possibly hypergiant) among the largest-known stars.[173] Some estimates, however, go as high as 1.98 Tm (13.2 au).[174]
1.4 Tm – 9.5 au – distance between Saturn and the Sun
7.5 Pm – 50,000 AU – possible outer boundary of Oort cloud (other estimates are 75,000 to 125,000 or even 189,000 AU (1.18, 2, and 3 light-years, respectively))
9.5 Pm – 63,241.1 AU – one light-year, the distance traveled by light in one year
260 Pm – 27 light-years – Distance to Chara, a star approximately as bright as the Sun. Its faintness gives an idea how the Sun would appear when viewed from this distance.
The exametre (SI symbol: Em) is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1018metres. To help compare different distances this section lists lengths between 1018m (1Em or 105.7 light-years) and 1019m (10Em or 1,057 light-years).
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists distances starting at 10 Ym (1025m or 1.1 billion light-years). At this scale, expansion of the universe becomes significant. Distance of these objects are derived from their measured redshifts, which depends on the cosmological models used.
13 Ym – 1.37 billion light-years – length of the South Pole Wall
13 Ym – 1.38 billion light-years – length of the Sloan Great Wall
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists distances starting at 100 Ym (1026m or 11 billion light-years). At this scale, expansion of the universe becomes significant. Distance of these objects are derived from their measured redshifts, which depend on the cosmological models used.
260 Ym – 27.4 billion light-years – diameter of the observable universe (double LTD)
440 Ym – 46 billion light-years – radius of the universe measured as a comoving distance
590 Ym – 62 billion light-years – cosmological event horizon: the largest comoving distance from which light will ever reach us (the observer) at any time in the future
886.48 Ym – 93.7 billion light-years – the diameter of the observable universe (twice the particle horizon); however, there might be unobserved distances that are even greater.
To help compare different orders of magnitude, this section lists distances starting at 1 Rm (1027m or 105.7 billion light-years). At this scale, expansion of the universe becomes significant. Distance of these objects are derived from their measured redshifts, which depend on the cosmological models used.
>1 Rm – >105.7 billion light-years – size of universe beyond the cosmic light horizon, depending on its curvature; if the curvature is zero (i.e. the universe is spatially flat), the value can be infinite (see Shape of the universe) as previously mentioned.
2.764 Rm - 292.2 billion light-years – circumference of the observable universe, as it is in the shape of a sphere.
The diameter of human hair ranges from 17 to 181 μm Ley, Brian (1999). Elert, Glenn (ed.). "Diameter of a human hair". The Physics Factbook. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
The exact category (asteroid, dwarf planet, or planet) to which particular Solar System objects belong, has been subject to some revision since the discovery of extrasolar planets and trans-Neptunian objects
10115 is 1 followed by 115 zeroes, or a googol multiplied by a quadrillion. 1010115 is 1 followed by a quadrillion googol zeroes. 101010122 is 1 followed by 1010122 (a googolplex10 sextillion) zeroes.
Nave, Carl R. "Neutron Absorption Cross-sections". HyperPhysics. Retrieved 4 December 2008. (area for 20 GeV about 10 × 10−42 m2 gives effective radius of about 2 × 10−21 m; for 250 GeV about 150 × 10−42 m2 gives effective radius of about 7 × 10−21 m)
Abbott, B. P.; etal. (2016). "Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger". Physical Review Letters. 116 (6): 061102. arXiv:1602.03837. Bibcode:2016PhRvL.116f1102A. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102. PMID26918975. S2CID124959784. On 14 September 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0×10−21.
Langevin, Dominique (2008). "Chapter 10: DNA-Surfactant/Lipid Complexes at Liquid Interfaces". In Dias, Rita S; Lindman, Bjorn (eds.). DNA Interactions with Polymers and Surfactants. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. p.265. doi:10.1002/9780470286364.ch10. ISBN978-0-470-25818-7. DNA has 20 elementary charges per helical turn over the corresponding length of 3.4nm
Duncan, Martin (2008). "16"(PDF). Physics 216 – Introduction to Astrophysics. Archived from the original(PDF) on 17 December 2008. Retrieved 14 November 2008.
Annis, Patty J. October 1991. Kansas State University. Fine Particle POLLUTION. Figure 1. (tobacco smoke: 10 to 1000nm; virus particles: 3 to 50nm; bacteria: 30 to 30000nm; cooking oil smoke: 30 to 30000nm; wood smoke: 7 to 3000nm)
Eninger, Robert M.; Hogan, Christopher J.; Biswas, Pratim; Adhikari, Atin; Reponen, Tiina; Grinshpun, Sergey A. (2009). "Electrospray versus Nebulization for Aerosolization and Filter Testing with Bacteriophage Particles". Aerosol Science and Technology. 43 (4): 298–304. Bibcode:2009AerST..43..298E. doi:10.1080/02786820802626355. S2CID93465533.
Ramel, Gordon. "Spider Silk". Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 4 December 2008. garden spider silk has a diameter of about 0.003 mm ... Dragline silk (about 0.00032 inch (0.008 mm) in Nephila)
Roberts, Richard W. (1 June 1975). Metric System of Weights and Measures – Guidelines for Use. US: Director of the National Bureau of Standards. Federal Register FR Doc.75-15798 (18 June 1975). Accordingly, the following units and terms listed in the table of metric units in section 2 of the act of 28 July 1866, that legalized the metric system of weights and measures in the United States, are no longer accepted for use in the United States: myriameter, stere, millier or tonneau, quintal, myriagram, kilo (for kilogram).
Judson, Lewis V. (1 October 1976) [1963]. "Appendix 7"(PDF). In Barbrow, Louis E. (ed.). Weights and Measures Standards of the United States, a brief history. Derived from a prior work by Louis A. Fisher (1905). US: US Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards. p.33. LCCN76-600055. NBS Special Publication 447; NIST SP 447; 003-003-01654-3. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
"long wave". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 12 March 2011. wavelength above one kilometre (and a frequency below 300 kHz)
Appell, Wolfgang (16 September 2009) [2002]. "Königreich Frankreich"[Kingdom of France]. Amtliche Maßeinheiten in Europa 1842 [Official units of measure in Europe 1842] (in German). Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. (Website based on Alte Meß- und Währungssysteme aus dem deutschen Sprachgebiet, ISBN3-7686-1036-5)
Brewster, David (1830). The Edinburgh Encyclopædia. Vol.12. Edinburgh, UK: William Blackwood, John Waugh, John Murray, Baldwin & Cradock, J. M. Richardson. p.494. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
Dingler, Johann Gottfried (1823). Polytechnisches Journal (in German). Vol.11. Stuttgart, Germany: J.W. Gotta'schen Buchhandlung. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
"FAQ-Alaska Highway Facts". The MILEPOST. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2007. 1,390 miles ... Alaska Route 2 and often treated as a natural extension of the Alaska Highway
Richichi, A.; Roccatagliata, V.; Shultz, Matt; Williamson, Michael H.; Moya, Andres (2005). "Aldebaran's angular diameter: How well do we know it?". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 433 (1): 305–312. arXiv:astro-ph/0502181. Bibcode:2005A&A...433..305R. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20041765. S2CID119414301. They derived an angular diameter of 20.58±0.03 milliarcsec, which given a distance of 65 light-years yields a diameter of 61 million km.
Kallinger, T.; Beck, P. G.; Hekker, S.; Huber, D.; Kuschnig, R.; Rockenbauer, M.; Winter, P. M.; Weiss, W. W.; Handler, G.; Moffat, A. F. J.; Pigulski, A.; Popowicz, A.; Wade, G. A.; Zwintz, K. (April 2019). "Stellar masses from granulation and oscillations of 23 bright red giants observed by BRITE - Constellation". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 624: A35. arXiv:1902.07531. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201834514. ISSN0004-6361.
Woodruff, H. C.; Eberhardt, M.; Driebe, T.; Hofmann, K.-H.; Ohnaka, K.; Richichi, A.; Schertl, D.; Schoeller, M.; Scholz, M.; Weigelt, G.; Wittkowski, M.; Wood, P. R. (July 2004). "Interferometric observations of the Mira star o Ceti with the VLTI/VINCI instrument in the near-infrared". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 421 (2): 703–714. arXiv:astro-ph/0404248. Bibcode:2004A&A...421..703W. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20035826. ISSN0004-6361.
Anugu, Narsireddy; Baron, Fabien; Monnier, John D.; Gies, Douglas R.; Roettenbacher, Rachael M.; Schaefer, Gail H.; Montargès, Miguel; Kraus, Stefan; Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste Le (5 August 2024). "CHARA Near-Infrared Imaging of the Yellow Hypergiant Star $\rho$ Cassiopeiae: Convection Cells and Circumstellar Envelope". arXiv:2408.02756v2 [astro-ph.SR].
Wittkowski, M.; Hauschildt, P.H.; Arroyo-Torres, B.; Marcaide, J.M. (5 April 2012). "Fundamental properties and atmospheric structure of the red supergiant VY CMa based on VLTI/AMBER spectro-interferometry". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 540: L12. arXiv:1203.5194. Bibcode:2012A&A...540L..12W. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201219126. S2CID54044968.
Parthasarathy, M. (2000). "Birth and early evolution of planetary nebulae". Bulletin of the Astronomical Society of India. 28: 217–224. Bibcode:2000BASI...28..217P.
Szpir, Michael (May–June 2001). "Bart Bok's Black Blobs". American Scientist. Archived from the original on 29 June 2003. Retrieved 19 November 2008. Bok globules such as Barnard 68 are only about half a light-year across and weigh in at about two solar masses
Sandstrom, Karin M; Peek, J. E. G.; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Bolatto, Alberto D.; Plambeck, Richard L. (1999). "A Parallactic Distance of 389+24 −21 parsecs to the Orion Nebula Cluster from Very Long Baseline Array Observations". The Astrophysical Journal. 667 (2): 1161–1169. arXiv:0706.2361. Bibcode:2007ApJ...667.1161S. doi:10.1086/520922. S2CID18192326.