Convert Ken (ken) to Parsec (pc) instantly.
About these units
Ken (ken)
The ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length, typically about 1.8 meters, though historically it ranged from 1.6 to 1.9 meters depending on the era and region. The ken is deeply tied to traditional Japanese architecture, especially temple and shrine construction. In classic building design, the ken measured the spacing between pillars in wooden structures. Because Japanese architecture emphasizes modularity and harmonious proportions, the ken allowed builders to create spaces that were both structurally efficient and aesthetically consistent. Many tatami room layouts are also derived from ken-based proportions. Beyond architecture, the ken carried symbolic importance in religious and cultural contexts. Temples were often laid out using ken multiples, reinforcing a sense of order, symmetry, and sacred geometry. Even though modern Japan uses the metric system, the ken persists in the restoration and preservation of historical buildings.
Parsec (pc)
A parsec is equal to 3.26 light years, or approximately 3.0857 × 10¹⁶ meters. It is defined based on the method of stellar parallax, the apparent shift in a star's position caused by Earth's orbit around the Sun. Specifically, a star at a distance of one parsec exhibits a parallax angle of one arcsecond (1/3600 of a degree). Because its definition emerges directly from geometric measurement techniques, the parsec became the standard astronomical unit for professional research. Parallax-based distances are foundational to the cosmic distance ladder — the sequence of methods by which astronomers measure distances from nearby stars to the farthest galaxies. The parsec is widely used in astrophysics because calculations involving gravitational dynamics, luminosity, or galactic structure often become more intuitive in parsecs than in light years. Although less familiar to the public, it is the preferred unit in scientific publications, planetary catalogs, and distance mapping of the Milky Way.