Why do astronomers use astronomical units (AU) instead of kilometers (km)?(1 point)

Responses

Large distances are easier to express in AU than in km.
Large distances are easier to express in AU than in km.

AU is used for spacing, while km is used for length.
AU is used for spacing, while km is used for length.

AU is used in astronomy, while km is used in physics.
AU is used in astronomy, while km is used in physics.

There are no km in outer space, only AU.
There are no km in outer space, only AU.

1 answer

The correct response is:

Large distances are easier to express in AU than in km.

Astronomical units are more convenient for measuring large distances in the solar system because they represent a more manageable scale compared to kilometers, which would yield very large and unwieldy numbers. For instance, the average distance from the Earth to the Sun is about 1 AU, while that distance in kilometers is approximately 149.6 million kilometers.