Suppose astronomers want to measure the distance to a star in astronomical units. They would use the equation d (au) = x/parallax angle (arcsec). What is x? A) 3.26 B) 360 C) 206,265 D) 3.0 × 10⁸

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The value of x in the equation for calculating the distance to a star in astronomical units (au) using parallax angle in arcseconds is 206,265. This number is derived from the fact that one astronomical unit (the average distance from the Earth to the Sun) corresponds to the parallax angle of an object at one parsec, and there are 206,265 astronomical units in one parsec.

Suppose Astronomers Want to Measure the Distance to a Star