How to convert kiloparsecs to light years
1 kiloparsec is equal to 3,261.563777 light years, and 1 light year is equal to 0.0003066013938 kiloparsecs. To convert, multiply by the conversion factor:
light years = kiloparsecs × 3,261.563777
light years = kiloparsecs ÷ 0.0003066013938Example: convert 15 kpc to ly: 15 × 3,261.563777 = 48,923.45666 ly.
Kiloparsec to Light Year conversion table
| Kiloparsec (kpc) | Light Year (ly) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 kpc | 32.61563777 ly |
| 0.1 kpc | 326.1563777 ly |
| 1 kpc | 3,261.563777 ly |
| 2 kpc | 6,523.127554 ly |
| 3 kpc | 9,784.691332 ly |
| 5 kpc | 16,307.81889 ly |
| 10 kpc | 32,615.63777 ly |
| 20 kpc | 65,231.27554 ly |
| 50 kpc | 163,078.1889 ly |
| 100 kpc | 326,156.3777 ly |
| 250 kpc | 815,390.9443 ly |
| 500 kpc | 1,630,781.889 ly |
| 1,000 kpc | 3,261,563.777 ly |
About the kiloparsec
A kiloparsec is 1,000 parsecs (about 3,262 light-years). The Sun is roughly 8 kpc from the center of the Milky Way.
Symbol: kpc · 1 kpc = 3.085677581 × 10¹⁹ m · Category: Astronomical
About the light year
A light-year is the distance light travels in a vacuum in one Julian year (365.25 days): about 9.46 trillion km. The nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, is about 4.37 light-years away.
Symbol: ly · 1 ly = 9.460730473 × 10¹⁵ m · Category: Astronomical