A Sense of Scale
A Visual Comparison of Various Distances
Thanks to Tim Talbert for providing some of the data.
Also see a similar page on Wikipedia.
1.616x10-35 m 1.616x10-35 m the Planck length (the smallest measurement of length that has meaning)
1x10-15 m
1 fm
2.2 fm
3.8 fm
1x10-15 m
1x10
-15
one fermi
diameter of proton (in the nucleus)
m
-15
m
classical diameter of neutron
-15
m
diameter of the nucleus of a helium atom
2.2x10
3.8x10
5.635882 fm 5.635882x10-15 m classical diameter of an electron
7.2 fm
14 fm
7.2x10-15 m
-14
1.4x10
m
diameter of the nucleus of an aluminum atom
diameter of the nucleus of a gold atom
(The classical electron diameter is bigger than the proton diameter because the proton's size was measured in the nucleus, where it is trapped in a
very deep, narrow potential well. The electron is in a comparatively wide, shallow well, so it takes up much more space. Talking about the sizes of
subatomic particles is fairly meaningless anyway; in one sense, electrons and protons are point particles, with no size. And in quantum mechanics,
we can only talk about the probability of finding a particle at a particular point, and cannot specify (or define) the exact position and size of a
particle. The "classical electron radius" tells us little about the actual physical size of the electron. In short, I'm oversimplifying things.)
14 fm
1.4x10-14 m diameter of the nucleus of a gold atom
1,000 fm 1x10-12 m one picometer
1 pm
1x10-12 m wavelength of gamma rays
1 pm
1x10-12 m
38 pm
-11
3.8x10
m
wavelength of gamma rays
diameter of flourine ion
52.9 pm 5.29x10-11 m most likely distance from electron to nucleus in a hydrogen atom (bohr radius)
74.13 pm 7.413x10-11 m distance between bonded hydrogen atoms
100 pm 1x10-10 m
one angstrom
120 pm 1.2x10-10 m
Van Der Waals radius of hydrogen atoms (max distance between atoms that are not bonded)
200 pm 2x10
-10
m
resolution (size of smallest visible object) of a transmission electron microscope
248.2 pm 2.482x10-10 m distance between bonded iron atoms
275 pm 2.75x10-10 m Van Der Waals radius of potassium atoms (max distance between atoms that are not bonded)
282 pm 3x10-10 m
diameter of water molecule
340 pm 3.4x10-10 m
distance between base pairs in a DNA molecule
-10
380 pm 3.8x10
530.9 pm 5.309x10
m
-10
diameter of xenon ion
m distance between bonded cesium atoms
530.9 pm 5.309x10-10 m distance between bonded cesium atoms
1,000 pm 1x10-9 m
-9
one nanometer
1 nm
1x10 m
diameter of glucose molecule
2 nm
2x10-9 m
diameter of DNA helix
5 nm
6 nm
10 nm
-9
diameter of insulin molecule
-9
diameter of a hemoglobin molecule
5x10 m
6x10 m
-8
1x10 m
-8
75 nm
7.5x10 m
90 nm
-8
9x10 m
-7
125 nm 1.25x10 m
-7
thickness of cell wall (gram negative bacteria)
size of typical virus
length of transistor gate in a Pentium 4 chip (minimum feature size)
thickness of gold leaf
130 nm 1.3x10 m
length of transistor gate in a Pentium 3 chip (1.4 Ghz)
200 nm 2x10-7 m
diameter of smallest bacteria
-7
200 nm 2x10 m
resolution (size of smallest visible object) of an optical microscope
260 nm 2.6x10-7 m length of the smallest transistor in a Pentium 3 chip
410 nm 4.1x10-7 m wavelength of violet light
680 nm 6.8x10-7 m wavelength of red light
1,000 nm 1x10-6 m one micrometer (micron)
1 µm
1x10-6 m size of typical bacterium
1 µm
1x10-6 m diameter of sperm cell
1.5 µm
1.5x10-6 m length of transistor gate in an Intel 286 chip
1.7 µm
1.7x10-6 m diameter of average human cell nucleus
2.4 µm
2.4x10-6 m thickness of red blood cell
3 µm
3x10-6 m length of transistor gate in an Intel 8086 chip
4 µm
4x10-6 m diameter of capillary
7 µm
7x10-6 m diameter of a single yeast organism
8.4 µm
8.4x10-6 m diameter of red blood cell
10 µm
1x10-5 m diameter of average cell in human body
10 µm
1x10-5 m size of a grain of talcum powder
16 µm
1.6x10-5 m length of the smallest transistor in the first 6502 chips
16 µm
1.6x10-5 m
20 µm
-5
2x10 m
-5
length of the smallest transistor in the first 6502 chips
length of the smallest transistor in an Intel 4004 (the first microprocessor)
20 µm
2.0x10 m
diameter of a small grain of sand
25 µm
2.5x10-5 m
length of sperm cell
25 µm
-5
2.5x10 m
diameter of a human hair
83.82 µm 8.382x10-5 m typical thickness of a piece of paper
100 µm 1x10-4 m
-4
mimimum size of object the human eye can resolve unaided
100 µm 1x10 m
diameter of human fertilized egg cell
100 µm 1x10-4 m
size of a grain of salt
110 µm
-4
1.1x10 m
-4
300 µm 3x10 m
thickness of a dollar bill
diameter of a period on a typewriter
375 µm 3.7x10-4 m
-4
750 µm 7.5x10 m
-3
1,000 µm 1x10 m
1.7 mm
diameter of the most common type of optical fiber
size of largest known bacterium
one millimeter
-3
1.7x10 m
-3
diameter of the head of the average pin
2 mm
2x10 m
diameter of a large grain of sand
2 mm
2x10-3 m
diameter of a large grain of sand
2 mm
-3
size of a small ant
2x10 m
4.234 mm 4.234x10-3 m height of a line of text in 12-point type
10 mm
1.7 cm
2.5 cm
1x10-2 m
one centimeter
-2
1.7x10 m
-2
2.5x10 m
wavelength of 20khz note (highest that can be heard) at 27 degrees celsius
size of a large ant
-2
2.54 cm
2.540x10 m one inch
8.5 cm
8.5x10-2 m
length of largest human chromosome if it were stretched end-to-end
-1
12.2 cm
1.22x10 m wavelength of microwaves in a microwave oven
30 cm
3.0x10-1 m
79 cm
91 cm
1m
one foot
-1
wavelength of 440 hertz note (A above middle C) at 27 degrees celsius
-1
one yard
7.9x10 m
9.1x10 m
1m
one meter
1m
3m
1m
3m
one meter
average wavelength of FM radio waves
17 m
1.7x101 m
wavelength of 20 hertz note (lowest that can be heard) at 27 degrees celsius
299.7925 m 2.997925x102 m distance light travels in one microsecond, in a vacuum
343 m
415 m
415 m
1,000 m
3.43x102 m
distance sound travels in one second (at 20 degress celsius)
2
distance a bullet travels per second, when fired from a .22
4.1x10 m
4.1x102 m
distance a bullet travels per second, when fired from a .22
3
one kilometer
1x10 m
3
1.609344 km 1.609344x10 m one mile
4.3 km
4.47 km
8.85 km
10.294 km
11 km
29.78 km
4.3x103 m
thickness of Greenland ice cap, at thickest point
3
greatest measured thickness of antarctic ice cap
4.47x10 m
3
height of Mount Everest
8.85x10 m
4
1.0294x10 m
4
depth of Marianas Trench
average height of top of troposphere (layer of atmosphere affected by weather)
1.1x10 m
4
distance the earth travels per second in its orbit
2.978x10 m
4
48 km
4.8x10 m
50 km
4
5x10 m
depth of earth's crust
60 km
6x104 m
thickness of ozone layer
80 km
80 km
160 km
average height of top of stratosphere (layer of atmosphere containing ozone; free of weather, good for flying)
4
height of ionosphere (ionized region which reflects radio waves)
4
average height of top of mesosphere (strong currents, unstable, bad for flying)
8x10 m
8x10 m
5
100 miles
1x10 m
5
299.7925 km 2.997925x10 m distance light travels in one millisecond, in a vacuum
299.7925 km 2.997925x105 m distance light travels in one millisecond, in a vacuum
300 km
3x105 m
height of space shuttle's typical orbit
354 km
3.54x105 m
average altitude of International Space Station
640 km
792 km
825 km
914 km
1,000 km
1,375 km
1,414 km
2,274 km
2,890 km
5
height of lowest point of inner Van Allen belt
6.4x10 m
5
altitude of Iridium satellites (LEO)
5
altitude of Orbcomm satellites (LEO)
5
9.14x10 m
diameter of the asteroid Ceres
6
thickness of earth's atmosphere
7.92x10 m
8.25x10 m
1x10 m
6
height of Teledesic (low-earth orbit) satellites
6
altitude of Globalstar satellites (LEO)
6
diameter of Pluto at its equator
1.375x10 m
1.414x10 m
2.274x10 m
6
2.89x10 m
6
3,474.8 km 3.4748x10 m
3,962 km
3.962x106 m
6
4,879.4 km 4.8794x10 m
5,150 km
6
5.150x10 m
depth of earth's outer (liquid) core
diameter of moon
distance from New York to Los Angeles
diameter of Mercury at its equator
diameter of Titan
5,150 km
5.150x106 m
6
diameter of Titan
5,150 km
5.15x10 m
depth of earth's inner (solid) core
5,200 km
5.2x106 m
height of highest point of outer Van Allen belt
5,262 km
6
5,613 km
5.262x10 m
6
5.613x10 m
diameter of Ganymede
distance from New York to London
6
6,378.14 km 6.37814x10 m distance to center of Earth
6,794.4 km 6.7944x106 m diameter of Mars at its equator
9,084 km
9,380 km
9.084x106 m
6
9.38x10 m
7
10,390 km 1.039x10 m
distance from London to Los Angeles
mean distance from Phobos to Mars
altitude of ICO satellites (MEO)
12,103 km 1.2103x107 m diameter of Venus at its equator
12,756.2 km 1.27562x107 m diameter of Earth at its equator
20,200 km 2.02x107 m
altitude of GPS satellites
23,460 km 2.346x107 m
mean distance from Deimos to Mars
7
35,800 km 3.58x10 m
height of satellite in geostationary orbit
47,810 km 4.781x107 m
min initial altitude of Geotail satellite (VHO)
47,810 km
4.781x107 m
min initial altitude of Geotail satellite (VHO)
7
49,492 km
4.9492x10 m
diameter of Neptune at its equator
51,118 km
5.1118x107 m
diameter of Uranus at its equator
8
120,536 km 1.2053x10 m
diameter of Saturn at its equator
142,984 km 1.4298x108 m
diameter of Jupiter at its equator
8
299,792.5 km 2.997925x10 m distance light travels in one second, in a vacuum
384,400 km 3.844x108 m
mean distance from earth to moon
868,912 km 8.68912x108 m max initial altitude of Geotail satellite (VHO)
1,070,000 km 1.07x109 m
mean distance from Jupiter to Ganymede
9
1,221,850 km 1.22185x10 m mean distance from Saturn to Titan
1,390,000 km 1.39x109 m
diameter of sun at its equator
9
1,500,000 km 1.5x10 m
1,500,000 km
distance to SOHO satellite (L1 Lagrange point)
1.5x109 m
17,987,550 km 1.798755x10
distance to SOHO satellite (L1 Lagrange point)
10
57,910,000 km 5.791x1010 m
m distance light travels in one minute, in a vacuum
mean distance of Mercury from the sun
108,200,000 km 1.082x1011 m
1 AU
1.5236 AU
2.766 AU
1.4959787x10
2.2794x10
4.139x10
11
11
mean distance of Venus from the sun
11
m
m
7.2143607 AU 1.079253x10
12
7.7833x10
mean distance of Mars from the sun
mean distance of the asteroid Ceres from the sun
m
11
5.2028 AU
m mean distance of Earth from the sun (one astronomical unit)
mean distance of Jupiter from the sun
m distance light travels in one hour, in a vacuum
7.2143607 AU 1.079253x1012 m distance light travels in one hour, in a vacuum
9.5549 AU
19.1913 AU
30.109 AU
34 AU
39.5294 AU
43.8 AU
62.32 AU
1.4294x1012 m
2.87099x10
4.5043x10
12
5.2x10
12
9.323x10
1.1837x10
80 AU
1x1013 m
134 AU
13
2.0x10
2.01x10
m
m mean distance of Pluto from the sun
distance of QB1 object from Sun
m
13
m
distance of 1996 TL66 object from Sun
m
173.14464 AU 2.590207x10
372 AU
5.56x10
current distance of Voyager 1 from sun (as of 10/27/00)
heliopause (outer edge of Sun's magnetic field)
13
13
current distance of Voyager 2 from sun (as of 10/27/00)
termination shock--point at which solar wind becomes subsonic
m
13
mean distance of Neptune from the sun
maximum distance of Halley's Comet from the sun
12
m
12
mean distance of Saturn from the sun
m mean distance of Uranus from the sun
m
79.125 AU
134 AU
12
5.91352x10
6.56x10
12
m
m distance light travels in one day, in a vacuum
maximum distance of comet Hale-Bopp from the sun
1,212.0125 AU 1.813145x1014 m distance light travels in one week, in a vacuum
1,212.0125 AU 1.813145x1014 m distance light travels in one week, in a vacuum
3.7x1015 m
25,000 AU
possible distance of Sol B from Sun
15
63,239.737 AU 9.460530x10
16
1.5 ly
1.4x10
3.26 ly
4.22 ly
4.3 ly
possible edge of Oort cloud
3.08x10
16
m
one parsec
3.99x10
16
m
distance to the star Proxima Centauri (nearest star other than sun)
16
m
distance to the stars Alpha Centauri A and B
16
m
distance to the star Sirius
4.1x10
8.6 ly
m
m distance light travels in one year (one light-year)
8.1x10
8.6 ly 8.1x1016 m distance to the star Sirius
25.2 ly 2.39x1017 m distance to the star Vega
33 ly 3.2x1017 m distance to the star Pollux
36 ly 3.5x1017 m distance to the star Arcturus
51 ly 4.9x1017 m distance to the star Castor
77 ly 7.3x1017 m distance to the star Regulus
300 ly 2x1018 m
18
430 ly 4.0x10
thickness of Milky Way Galaxy
m distance to the star Polaris
1.6 kly 1.5x1019 m distance to Horsehead Nebula
1.6 kly 1.5x1019 m distance to Horsehead Nebula
20 kly 1x1020 m
diameter of Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy
27 kly 2.6x1020 m distance to center of Milky Way Galaxy
44 kly 4.2x1020 m diameter of M33 galaxy
162 kly 1.54x1021 m diameter of Milky Way Galaxy
200 kly 1x1021 m
21
200 kly 1x10
m
300 kly 2x1021 m
300 kly
distance to Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy
diameter of M31 galaxy
distance to Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy
2x1021 m distance to Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy
2,200 kly 2.0x1022 m distance to Andromeda galaxy
3,000 kly 2x1022 m distance to Pisces galaxy
4,000 kly 3x1022 m distance to IC 10 galaxy
5,000 kly 4x1022 m distance to Pegasus galaxy
11,000 kly 1.0x1023 m distance to the M81 galaxy cluster
15,000 kly 1.4x1023 m distance to the M83 galaxy
27,000 kly 2.5x1023 m distance to the M101 galaxy
35,000 kly 3.3x1023 m distance to the M66 galaxy cluster
37,000 kly 3.5x1023 m distance to the M51 galaxy cluster
38,000 kly 3.5x1023 m distance to the M95 galaxy
41,000 kly 3.8x1023 m distance to the M96 galaxy
60,000 kly 5x1023 m distance to the Virgo galaxy cluster
60,000 kly
5x1023 m distance to the Virgo galaxy cluster
340,000 kly
3.2x1024 m distance to the Coma galaxy cluster
2,000,000 kly 1x1025 m distance to brightest quasar (3C 273)
4,000,000 kly 3x1025 m distance to quasar 3C 48
26,000,000 kly 2.4x1026 m distance to farthest known object (quasar SDSS_1044_0125)
[email protected]