astronomical unit
noun
: a unit of length used in astronomy equal to the mean distance of the earth from the sun or about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers)
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By 2008, after surveying hundreds of stars, researchers found that about 10 percent of sun-like stars host giant planets within a few times the Earth-sun distance (called an astronomical unit).
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Dakotah Tyler, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
However, the large eccentricity means its orbit ranges from as far as 2 astronomical units (300 million km/186 million miles — i.e. twice the Earth–sun distance) from its star to as close as 0.75 AU (112 million km/69.7 million miles).
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Its companions, known as T Tauri South A and B, make up a binary system that's 100 astronomical units (9.3 billion miles/14.9 billion kilometers) away from the main star and orbit around T Tauri North once every 4,600 years.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2025
One astronomical unit is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, and Neptune's orbit is 60 astronomical units in diameter.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 16 Jan. 2025
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Dakotah Tyler, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
However, the large eccentricity means its orbit ranges from as far as 2 astronomical units (300 million km/186 million miles — i.e. twice the Earth–sun distance) from its star to as close as 0.75 AU (112 million km/69.7 million miles).
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Its companions, known as T Tauri South A and B, make up a binary system that's 100 astronomical units (9.3 billion miles/14.9 billion kilometers) away from the main star and orbit around T Tauri North once every 4,600 years.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 23 Jan. 2025
One astronomical unit is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun, and Neptune's orbit is 60 astronomical units in diameter.
—Greg Wehner, Fox News, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for astronomical unit
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“Astronomical unit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/astronomical%20unit. Accessed 24 Feb. 2025.
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