megaparsec

noun

mega·par·sec | \ˌme-gə-ˈpär-ˌsek

\

Definition of megaparsec

: a unit of measure for distances in intergalactic space equal to one million parsecs

Examples of megaparsec in a Sentence

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According to the cosmic ladder, the universe is expanding at a rate of 73.24km per second per megaparsec. — The Economist, "The two ways to measure how fast the universe is growing do not agree," 17 May 2018 According to supernovae and Cepheids, the universe is expanding at a rate of 73.5 kilometers per second per megaparsec (about 3.3 million light-years). — Lee Billings, Scientific American, "Cosmic Conflict: Diverging Data on Universe’s Expansion Polarizes Scientists," 16 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'megaparsec.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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The first known use of megaparsec was in 1920

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