English Dictionary |
PARSEC
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Dictionary entry overview: What does parsec mean?
• PARSEC (noun)
The noun PARSEC has 1 sense:
1. a unit of astronomical length based on the distance from Earth at which stellar parallax is 1 second of arc; equivalent to 3.262 light years
Familiarity information: PARSEC used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
A unit of astronomical length based on the distance from Earth at which stellar parallax is 1 second of arc; equivalent to 3.262 light years
Classified under:
Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure
Synonyms:
parsec; secpar
Hypernyms ("parsec" is a kind of...):
astronomy unit (a linear unit used for astronomical distances)
Context examples
This may be a solution to a theoretical conundrum called the final parsec problem, in which two supermassive black holes can approach to within a few light-years of each other but would need some extra pull inwards to merge because of the excess energy they carry in their orbits.
(Three Black Holes on Collision Course, NASA)
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