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About these units
Petameter (Pm)
A petameter is 10¹⁵ meters and begins bridging the gap between solar system scales and the nearest stars. Distances between stars, the size of large cosmic structures, or the wavelengths of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic waves may be expressed in petameters. For example, a light-year is about 9.46 petameters. Petameters rarely appear in everyday astronomical writing because traditional units like light years and parsecs are more intuitive to astronomers and the public. However, the unit's alignment with SI conventions makes it essential in scientific computation and large-scale modeling, especially when dealing with cosmic distances while maintaining strictly metric consistency.
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.