parsec

3 definitions found

parsec - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  parsec \par"sec\ (p[aum]r"s[e^]k), n. [From parallax second. See
     parallax second and annual parallax, under parallax.]
     (Astron.)
     A unit of length used in describing astronomical distances,
     equal to 3.26 light years, or 3.086 x 1013 km. Abbreviated
     pc. The derived units of kiloparsec (kpc, 1000 parsecs) and
     megaparsec (mpc, one million parsecs) are often found in
     discussion of astronomical distances.
     [PJC]

parsec - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  parsec
      n 1: a unit of astronomical length based on the distance from
           Earth at which stellar parallax is 1 second of arc;
           equivalent to 3.262 light years [syn: parsec, secpar]

parsec - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  PARSEC
  
     Extensible language with PL/I-like syntax, derived from
     PROTEUS.  "PARSEC User's Manual", Bolt Beranek & Newman (Dec
     1972).