The distance light travels in one year is called a light-year. It is a unit of measurement used in astronomy to express vast distances in space. A light-year represents the distance that light, which travels at a speed of about 299,792 kilometers per second (approximately 186,282 miles per second), can cover in one year. This equates to about 9.46 trillion kilometers (5.88 trillion miles). Using light-years allows astronomers to convey the tremendous distances between stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects in a more comprehensible way, facilitating our understanding of the universe's scale.