ASTR120: Useful Physical and Astronomical Constants

Atomic Mass Unit = AMU = $1.6605 \times 10^{-27}$ kg

Boltzmann's Constant = k = $1.38 \times 10^{-23}$ Joules / Kelvin

Gravitational Constant = G = $6.672 \times 10^{-11}$ m³ / kg sec²

Mass of Hydrogen Atom = M(H) = $1.673 \times 10^{-27}$ kg

Planck's Constant = h = $6.626 \times 10^{-34}$ Joules sec

Rydberg Constant = R_Ryd = $1.0974 \times 10^7$ m^-1

Speed of Light = c = $2.9979 \times 10^{8}$ m / sec

Stephan-Boltzmann Constant = $\sigma$ = $5.670 \times 10^{-8}$ Joules / m² K⁴ sec

Wein's Law Constant = $2.898 \times 10^{-3}$ m deg-K

Celsius-Kelvin Temperature Scales: Kelvins = Celsius + 273.

Mass of Sun = M(Sun) = $1.989 \times 10^{30}$ kg

Mass of Earth = M(Earth) = $5.976 \times 10^{24}$ kg

Mass of Moon = M(Moon) = $7.35 \times 10^{22}$ kg

Radius of Sun = R(Sun) = $6.960 \times 10^{8}$ m

Radius of Earth = R(Earth) = $6.378 \times 10^{6}$ m

Radius of Moon = R(Moon) = $1.738 \times 10^{6}$ m

Luminosity of Sun = L(Sun) = $3.83 \times 10^{26}$ Joules / sec

Earth-Moon distance = $3.84 \times 10^{8}$ m

Earth-Sun Distance = 1 Astronomical Unit = 1 AU = $1.496 \times 10^{11}$ m

Parsec = 1 pc = $3.086 \times 10^{16}$ m

Light-year = 1 lyr = $9.461 \times 10^{15}$ m

1 Angstrom = 10^-10 m

1 micron = 10^-6 m

1 millimeter = 10^-3 m