Parallax Distance Calculator
Calculate the distance to a star based on its measured annual parallax in arcseconds.
Example: Proxima Centauri is ~0.768 arcseconds.
What is Stellar Parallax?
Stellar parallax is the apparent shift in the position of a nearby star against the background of much more distant stars as the Earth orbits the Sun.
The Unit: Parsec
The term parsec comes from "parallax of one second." It is the distance at which a star would have a parallax of exactly one arcsecond. One parsec is approximately 3.26 light years.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How far can we measure with parallax?
Ground-based telescopes can measure up to about 100 parsecs. Space missions like Gaia have extended this to thousands of parsecs.
Why does parallax decrease with distance?
As a star gets farther away, the angle of the shift becomes smaller and harder to measure.