Final answer:
The distance to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system, is about 278,256 astronomical units (AU) from Earth, given that it is 4.4 light-years away and 1 light-year equals approximately 63,240 AU. This converts the distance from light-years to the more familiar AU measure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The distance to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, can be expressed in astronomical units (AU). The distance to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system, is about 278,256 astronomical units (AU) from Earth, given that it is 4.4 light-years away and 1 light-year equals approximately 63,240 AU.
This converts the distance from light-years to the more familiar AU measure. One light-year (ly) is equivalent to approximately 63,240 astronomical units. Since Alpha Centauri is 4.4 light-years away, we would multiply 4.4 by 63,240 to find the distance in AU:
4.4 ly × 63,240 AU/ly = 278,256 AU.
Therefore, Alpha Centauri is about 278,256 AU away from the Earth. This calculation assumes that 1 light-year equals the distance light travels in one year and one AU is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun.