Definition

A unit of measurement used to describe very large distances in space, specifically equal to one million parsecs.

Example

The nearest galaxy is about 0.8 megaparsecs away from us.

Conversation

Did you know that a megaparsec is a unit of measure for distances in space?

Yeah, I heard it’s equal to one million parsecs!

That's right! It's fascinating how we measure such vast distances.

I know, right? It really puts the size of the universe into perspective.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Megaparsec → It is formed from "mega-" (from Greek "megas", meaning large or great) and "parsec" (a unit of distance in astronomy derived from "parallax" and "arcsecond"). The word "megaparsec" refers to a large unit of distance in space, specifically one million parsecs.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mega' meaning large, and 'parsec' as a unit of distance in astronomy. This helps you remember that a megaparsec is a large distance used in measuring space.

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