This page converts picas into parsecs using the factor 1.371929899e-19, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure length, which is why one number does the whole job.
The distance at which one astronomical unit subtends one arcsecond: about 3.26 light-years. Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real length figures into parsecs so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
picas- The amount you are converting, in picas
1.37192989920e-19- The exact number of parsecs in one pica
parsecs- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in picas.
- It is multiplied by 1.37192989920e-19, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in parsecs, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
The Eiffel Tower: 7.8e+04 pica in parsecs
At 7.8e+04 pica (the eiffel tower), the same quantity in parsecs is 7.8e+04 × 1.37193e-19 = 1.07011e-14 pc. One pica is 1.37193e-19 parsecs, so the numbers shrink as expected.
A door height: 480 pica in parsecs
At 480 pica (a door height), the same quantity in parsecs is 480 × 1.37193e-19 = 6.58526e-17 pc. One pica is 1.37193e-19 parsecs, so the numbers shrink as expected.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many parsecs are in one pica?
Exactly 1.37192989920e-19. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert picas to parsecs?
parsecs = picas × 1.37192989920e-19. Reversed, picas = parsecs ÷ 1.37192989920e-19, which is the same as multiplying by 7.28900216100e+18.
Which is the bigger unit, the pica or the parsec?
The parsec. One pica is only 1.37193e-19 of a parsec, so it takes 7.28900e+18 picas to make one parsec.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a pica?
Twelve points, or 1/6 inch — the column-width unit of print layout.
What is a parsec?
The distance at which one astronomical unit subtends one arcsecond: about 3.26 light-years.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Picas to parsecs reference tables
| Picas | Parsecs |
|---|---|
| 0.5 pica | 6.85965e-20 pc |
| 1 pica | 1.37193e-19 pc |
| 2 pica | 2.74386e-19 pc |
| 3 pica | 4.11579e-19 pc |
| 5 pica | 6.85965e-19 pc |
| 10 pica | 1.37193e-18 pc |
| 20 pica | 2.74386e-18 pc |
| 25 pica | 3.42982e-18 pc |
| 50 pica | 6.85965e-18 pc |
| 75 pica | 1.02895e-17 pc |
| 100 pica | 1.37193e-17 pc |
| 250 pica | 3.42982e-17 pc |
| 500 pica | 6.85965e-17 pc |
| 1000 pica | 1.37193e-16 pc |
| 5000 pica | 6.85965e-16 pc |
Exact factor: 1 pica = 1.37192989920e-19 parsecs.
| Quantity | pica | pc |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 20.22 pica | 2.774e-18 pc |
| A door height | 480 pica | 6.585e-17 pc |
| An Olympic pool | 1.181e+04 pica | 1.620e-15 pc |
| The Eiffel Tower | 7.795e+04 pica | 1.069e-14 pc |
| A marathon | 9.967e+06 pica | 1.367e-12 pc |
| Earth’s diameter | 3.01e+09 pica | 4.129e-10 pc |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.