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in partnership with the Dill Faulkes Educational Trust

 

In astronomy, measuring helps us learn the size, distance, and brightness of things in space.

Without these measurements, it would be hard to compare stars, planets, and galaxies.

Astronomers can’t use rulers or scales like we do on Earth. Instead, they have other ways to measure objects in space.

   

Image
Illustration with the title 'Measurement' showing various tools and symbols associated with measuring, including a ruler, protractor, balance scale, telescope, and electronic measuring device, set against a starry background with a galaxy image
Credit
This work by The Schools' Observatory is licensed under All rights reserved

Each type of measurement tells us something important: 

  • Distance: Knowing how far away something is helps us understand its size and energy. 
  • Angles: Measuring angles helps us find where objects are in the sky and how big they are. 
  • Brightness: Studying brightness shows us how much energy stars and galaxies give off. 

 

Making these measurements helps us learn more about space and the Universe. 

Explore each topic to see how we measure space and why it matters.