SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-astronomical-unit

One astronomical unit (AU) is the average distance from what to what?

From the Sun to Earth, about 93 million miles.

Start playing free

  1. From Earth to the Moon
  2. From the Sun to Earth ✔
  3. From the Sun to the nearest star

Why: Astronomers use the AU to measure distances inside our solar system. One AU is about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers, the distance between the Sun and Earth.

Huh, didn't know that: The icy Oort Cloud may stretch out as far as 100,000 AU from the Sun.

The dad joke
Why did the astronomer measure in AU? Because miles made her eyes glaze over.
Like this card?
Play the game

References

Answer: From the Sun to Earth. Astronomers use the AU to measure distances inside our solar system. One AU is about 93 million miles, or 150 million kilometers, the distance between the Sun and Earth.

  1. NASA Science: Solar System Facts science.nasa.gov/solar-system/solar-system-facts
    One astronomical unit (or AU) is the distance from the Sun to Earth, or about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers).
    Checked 2026-10-10.

Think this answer is wrong? Tap "Challenge this answer" on the card in the game and tell us why.

Test yourself in the game

Flying & DronesWhich way does a comet's tail point?Flying & DronesWhat is the main difference between an asteroid and a comet?Flying & DronesWhat do we call a space rock that is still out in space?

That's stuff everyone should know.