Understanding Parallax
Parallax is the apparent shift in a star's position as observed from Earth at different points in its orbit around the Sun. The larger the parallax angle, the closer the star.
The Formula
The distance to a star (in parsecs) is calculated using the following formula:
Distance (in parsecs) = 1 / Parallax (in arcseconds)
Converting Parsecs to Light Years
1 parsec is equal to 3.26 light years.
Calculation
1. Find the distance in parsecs:
Distance = 1 / 0.05 arcseconds = 20 parsecs
2. Convert to light years:
Distance (in light years) = 20 parsecs * 3.26 light years/parsec = 65.2 light years
Therefore, a star with a parallax of 0.05 arcseconds is approximately 65.2 light years away.
