[/caption] A megaparsec is a million parsecs (mega- is a prefix meaning million; think of megabyte, or megapixel), and as there are about 3.3 light-years to a parsec, a megaparsec is rather a long way. The standard abbreviation is Mpc. Why do astronomers need to have such a large unit? When discussing distances like the … Continue reading "Megaparsec"