If the light takes 8 minutes to reach Earth from the Sun and the nearest star is 4.7 ly from the Sun, what is the distance from the Sun to the nearest star in astronomical units
A)37.6 AU
B)1.7 AU
C)214 AU
D)310,000 AU
E)$1.5 × 10^{11}$ AU

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The distance from the Sun to the nearest star (Proxima Centauri, 4.7 light-years away) can be converted to astronomical units (AU) by recognizing that 1 light-year is approximately 63,241 AU. Therefore, 4.7 light-years is about 4.7 * 63,241 = 297,032.7 AU, which rounds to approximately 310,000 AU.

If the Light Takes 8 Minutes to Reach Earth from the Sun