Convert Cubit (UK) (cubit (uk)) to Astronomical Unit (AU) instantly.
About these units
Cubit (UK) (cubit (uk))
The UK cubit is a traditional English unit derived from the length of the forearm, roughly 0.4572 meters (18 inches). It was historically used in construction, land measurement, and woodworking, providing a human-scale reference for practical tasks before standardized units were widely adopted. In England, the cubit also played a role in surveying and architectural planning, often subdivided into smaller units such as hands or fingers for precision. Builders and craftsmen relied on the cubit because it allowed approximate measurement without instruments, a feature especially valuable in early medieval and pre-industrial periods. Although replaced by the foot and yard over time, the cubit remains an important historical reference for studying British architecture, surveying records, and early measurement systems.
Astronomical Unit (AU)
The astronomical unit (AU) is one of the most important distance units in astronomy and planetary science. Defined as exactly 149,597,870,700 meters, it represents the average distance between Earth and the Sun. Early astronomers could estimate the AU only indirectly through geometric and observational methods; modern techniques such as radar ranging and spacecraft telemetry have vastly improved its precision. The AU serves as a natural and intuitive scale for describing distances within the solar system. Planetary orbits, asteroid trajectories, comet paths, and interplanetary mission distances are often expressed in astronomical units because they avoid cumbersome scientific notation. For instance, Jupiter orbits at about 5.2 AU from the Sun, while the asteroid belt lies roughly between 2 and 3.3 AU. Beyond practical measurement, the AU forms part of a conceptual framework for understanding solar system layout. It appears in discussions of habitable zones, solar radiation intensity, and celestial mechanics. The unit's significance extends from education to high-level astrophysics, making it one of astronomy's cornerstone measurements.