Leagues to Parsecs

Select the unit you wish to convert from

There are different types of Leagues

There are a few different types of League. On this site we have conversions for US Leagues and UK Leagues. In addition, there are also Nautical Leagues which can be found on this site. Please either select the appropriate unit on the selection above of click the required unit in the links below:

US Leagues

UK Leagues

Nautical Leagues

What is a League?

A league is a unit of length that has been used historically in different parts of the world. The exact measurement of a league can vary depending on the region and time period, but it is typically considered to be around 3 miles or 5 kilometers. In ancient times, a league was often defined as the distance a person could walk in one hour, which is roughly equivalent to 3 miles.

The concept of a league has been used in various contexts, such as measuring the distance between towns or cities, or as a unit of length for maritime navigation. In some countries, the league is still used informally to describe long distances, such as in the phrase "a league away." While the league is not commonly used as an official unit of measurement in modern times, it remains a part of historical and cultural references, particularly in literature and folklore.

What is a Parsec?

A parsec is a unit of length used in astronomy to measure vast distances between celestial objects. The term "parsec" is derived from the words "parallax" and "second," which refer to the method used to calculate this unit. Specifically, a parsec is defined as the distance at which an object would have a parallax angle of one arcsecond when observed from opposite ends of Earth's orbit around the Sun.

To understand the concept of a parsec, it is important to grasp the idea of parallax. Parallax is the apparent shift in the position of an object when viewed from different vantage points. In the case of astronomy, scientists use the Earth's orbit as a baseline to measure the parallax of distant stars. By observing a star from opposite ends of Earth's orbit, astronomers can calculate the angle of parallax and subsequently determine the star's distance.