Convert Langleys to Calories (th) per Square Centimeter
Langley (Ly) to Calorie (th) per Square Centimeter (cal(th)/cm²) heat density conversion — enter any value below to get an instant result, or use the table for common values.
Results from this calculator are estimates provided for general informational purposes only, based on formulas, rates, and standards commonly accepted as of 2026. Figures may differ slightly from other calculators or professional sources due to rounding methods, differing assumptions, or regional regulations, and rules may change over time. Always consult a qualified professional — such as a financial advisor, healthcare provider, or other relevant specialist — before making decisions based on these results.
Result
1 Ly = 1 cal(th)/cm²
1 Langley = 1 Calories (th) per Square Centimeter
1 Calorie (th) per Square Centimeter = 1 Langleys
1 Ly in every supported unit
Conversion chart: Langley to Calories (th) per Square Centimeter
Conversion table
| Langley (Ly) | Calorie (th) per Square Centimeter (cal(th)/cm²) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 Ly | 0.01 cal(th)/cm² |
| 0.1 Ly | 0.1 cal(th)/cm² |
| 1 Ly | 1 cal(th)/cm² |
| 2 Ly | 2 cal(th)/cm² |
| 3 Ly | 3 cal(th)/cm² |
| 5 Ly | 5 cal(th)/cm² |
| 10 Ly | 10 cal(th)/cm² |
| 20 Ly | 20 cal(th)/cm² |
| 50 Ly | 50 cal(th)/cm² |
| 100 Ly | 100 cal(th)/cm² |
| 1000 Ly | 1000 cal(th)/cm² |
Langley (Ly)
Definition: The historical standard unit for accumulated solar radiation — one langley equals one thermochemical calorie of energy delivered per square centimeter of surface.
History: Named after American astronomer Samuel Pierpont Langley, an early pioneer of solar radiation measurement, and adopted as the standard unit in mid-20th-century solar and atmospheric science.
Current use: Still referenced in agricultural science, climatology, and older meteorological records reporting daily accumulated solar radiation ("langleys per day"), even as SI-based J/m² has become the modern scientific standard.
Calorie (th) per Square Centimeter (cal(th)/cm²)
Definition: A CGS-scale heat-density unit expressing thermochemical calories of accumulated energy per square centimeter — numerically identical to the langley, its more common name in solar science.
History: Rooted in early 20th-century solar radiation measurement, when scientists needed a convenient calorie-based unit for the small, laboratory-scale surface areas typical of pyrheliometer instruments.
Current use: Still occasionally used in older solar radiation and agricultural climatology literature, largely under its more familiar name, the langley.
Supported Units
| Unit | Symbol | In J/m² |
|---|---|---|
| Joule per Square Meter | J/m² | 1 J/m² |
| Kilojoule per Square Meter | kJ/m² | 1000 J/m² |
| Calorie (th) per Square Centimeter | cal(th)/cm² | 41840 J/m² |
| Langley | Ly | 41840 J/m² |
| Btu (IT) per Square Foot | Btu/ft² | 11356.53 J/m² |
| Btu (th) per Square Foot | Btu(th)/ft² | 11348.93 J/m² |
About These Parameters
- Value
- The heat density value you want to convert, expressed in the "From" unit. Accepts decimals.
- From Unit
- The unit your input value is currently measured in — a climatology report's langleys, or a US datasheet's Btu/ft².
- To Unit
- The unit you want the result converted into. Use the swap button to flip From and To instantly.
How Heat Density Conversion Works
The Formula
Every unit here is defined by a fixed multiplier relative to joules per square meter. To convert a value from one unit to another:
result = value × (factor of "From" unit ÷ factor of "To" unit)
For Langley → Calorie (th) per Square Centimeter: multiply by 1. For example, 1 Ly × 1 = 1 cal(th)/cm².
Heat Density vs. Heat Flux Density
Heat density (this page) is a cumulative total — how much energy has landed on a surface altogether. Its close cousin, heat flux density (covered on this site's separate Heat Flux Density Converter), is a RATE — how much energy is landing per second, right now. The relationship is the same as distance versus speed: heat flux density integrated over time gives you heat density, the same way speed integrated over time gives you distance traveled.
The Langley and Solar Science
The langley was, for decades, the standard unit meteorologists and agricultural scientists used to report daily accumulated solar radiation ("langleys per day"), named after solar radiation pioneer Samuel Pierpont Langley. Modern science has largely shifted to SI's joules per square meter, but historical climate records and some regional agricultural datasets still report figures in langleys, which is why converting between the two remains useful.
Example
A heat density of 1 Ly equals 1 cal(th)/cm². For scale, a clear summer day at mid-latitudes can deliver roughly 500-600 langleys of solar radiation onto a horizontal surface — equivalent to about 20,900-25,100 kJ/m².
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Calories (th) per Square Centimeter are in 1 Langley?
1 Langley (Ly) equals exactly 1 Calories (th) per Square Centimeter (cal(th)/cm²).
Is a langley the same as a calorie per square centimeter?
Yes, exactly — one langley is defined as one thermochemical calorie of energy delivered per square centimeter of surface. "Langley" is simply the more common name used in solar and atmospheric science, honoring solar-radiation pioneer Samuel Pierpont Langley.
Why would I need to convert heat density instead of heat flux density?
Use heat density when you're working with an accumulated total over a period of time — a day's worth of solar exposure, or the total energy a laser pulse delivered. Use heat flux density (a separate converter on this site) when you need an instantaneous rate, like the current solar intensity hitting a panel right now.
How accurate are these conversions?
Every conversion factor used here is the exact, internationally recognized relationship between the underlying energy and area units (e.g. 1 langley = exactly 41,840 J/m²) — results are limited only by floating-point display precision, not by rounded conversion constants.