The term for the distance light travels in one year is called a light-year. This unit of distance is used in astronomy to measure vast distances between celestial objects. One light-year is equivalent to approximately 5.88 trillion miles or about 9.46 trillion kilometers, the distance that light travels in one year in a vacuum. Using light-years helps astronomers convey the immense scales of the universe, allowing for easier comprehension of distances between stars, galaxies, and other cosmic entities. For instance, Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, is about 4.24 light-years away from our solar system.