Decimeter
A decimeter (dm) is a metric unit of length equal to one-tenth of a meter. It sits between centimeters and meters in size, making it helpful for measurements that are too large for centimeters but too small for full meters. Although not as commonly used in day-to-day tasks, the decimeter is important in education, engineering, and scientific contexts.
Because it is part of the metric system, converting decimeters into other units is simple—for example, 1 decimeter = 10 centimeters and 0.1 meters. A unit converter can help you switch quickly between measurements when precision is important.
Lightyear
A lightyear (ly) is a unit of distance used in astronomy to measure vast spaces between stars and galaxies. It represents the distance light travels in one year—about 9.46 trillion kilometers or 5.88 trillion miles. Because space is so large, conventional units like kilometers or miles become impractical for such enormous scales.
The lightyear helps scientists and space enthusiasts describe distances in the universe more easily. Converting lightyears to smaller units highlights just how immense space truly is, and a conversion tool can help make these astronomical numbers more understandable.