urgent
2006-10-30 09:05:24 · 9 answers · asked by Lisa 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You have to be more specific. Do you mean absolute magnitude or apparent magnitude? A "bright" star that is far away will appear dimmer than a "dim" star that is closer to us.
2006-10-30 09:10:07 · answer #1 · answered by darwin_kepler_edison 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
"Bright" is a relative term. The "brightest" star - as seen from earth - is the Sun (a/k/a "Sol") - and it is, of course, the closest star to earth.
The next brightest star (although not the closest - the closest star to earth, other than the Sun is Alpha Centauri) - but the next BRIGHTEST star is Sirius - located in the constellation Canis Major. It can be seen from almost every inhabitated region of earth except the most northern settlements (north of 73 degrees latitude). In the Northern Hemisphere, it's a vertex of the Winter Triangle.
However - perhaps what you MEAN to ask is what is the most luminous star. Like I said - the "brightest" star is relative to where you are in the universe - it's subjective. However - "luminosity" - is objective. Basically - if you had all the stars lined up at the same distance from you - which would be brightest?
The answer is NOT the sun - and it's not even close.
The most luminous star that we are aware of is LBV 1806-20 (possibly a binary star) that is located 30,000-49,000 light years away from the Sun, toward the center of the Milky Way galaxy. It's approximately 40 million (that's MILLION) times more luminous than our sun - yet - despite its luminosity - it's virtually invisible in our solar system.
It should be noted that there are objects in the universe FAR more luminous than even the brightest star. Quasars, for example.
2006-10-30 09:18:22 · answer #2 · answered by captain2man 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The brightest star in our sky is the Sun.
The brightest star other than the Sun in our sky is Sirius. It would be brighter than the Sun in our sky if it were as close as the Sun.
The brightest star in the universe that we know of is the Pistol Star. It is many times brighter than Sirius but does not appear very bright in our sky because it is 25,000 light years away.
2006-10-30 09:10:07 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
our sun is the brightest star known to mankind.
2006-10-30 09:22:37 · answer #4 · answered by sonicwingmode 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sirius,
Canis Major constellation
(i assume you mean other than the sun)
2006-10-30 11:28:49 · answer #5 · answered by timespiral 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
right up there and to the north
2006-10-30 09:13:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The sun!!
2006-10-30 09:07:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It's in the sky.
2006-10-30 09:13:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
the brightest star is the sun duh lol
2006-10-30 09:06:42 · answer #9 · answered by dominoteryaki 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋