Now my next question isn’t really an objection to the metric
system, so much as an interesting application of it. I can see how it would
make sense to use metric-only measurements for earthly measurements. But I’m
still of the opinion that “light-years” are the best measurement for
astronomical distances. I know that the “parsec” is also used, but its only 3
times longer than the light-year, and not nearly so intuitive (I mean, to say
“light-year” conveys the distance being measured). But I realize that the
concept of light-year is not based on the meter.
So would you folks advise (1) being purist, and quoting
inter-stellar distances as “ultra-giga-multi-meters” or whatever; (2) in
parsecs, which is almost entirely unknown to civilians; or (3) stick with the
term “light-year”? And just as importantly, why?
