Convert Astronomical Units to Nanometers
Convert Astronomical Units (AU) to Nanometers (nm) instantly and accurately.
Conversion Formula
nm = AU × 1.495978707e+20
About Astronomical Units
An astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance between Earth and the Sun, precisely defined as 149,597,870.7 kilometers. This unit provides a convenient scale for measuring distances within our solar system. Mars orbits at 1.5 AU, Jupiter at 5.2 AU, and Neptune at about 30 AU from the Sun. The dwarf planet Pluto reaches up to 49 AU away. Light takes about 8.3 minutes to travel 1 AU, explaining why we see the Sun as it was 8 minutes ago. The AU is fundamental in astronomy and space exploration.
About Nanometers
A nanometer (nm) is one billionth of a meter (10⁻⁹ m), roughly the width of 3-4 atoms placed side by side. This scale is where nanotechnology operates and is visible light wavelengths are measured. Visible light ranges from about 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red). DNA molecules are about 2.5 nm wide, and modern computer processors have transistors as small as 3-5 nm. A human hair is approximately 80,000-100,000 nanometers thick, making one nanometer incredibly tiny by human standards.
Quick Reference Table
| Astronomical Units (AU) | Nanometers (nm) |
|---|---|
| 1 AU | 1.496 × 1020 nm |
| 2 AU | 2.992 × 1020 nm |
| 5 AU | 7.48 × 1020 nm |
| 10 AU | 1.496 × 1021 nm |
| 25 AU | 3.74 × 1021 nm |
| 50 AU | 7.48 × 1021 nm |
| 100 AU | 1.496 × 1022 nm |