2007-11-01 10:14:06 · 4 answers · asked by LuvPnk 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It means it is really bright. The more negative it is the brighter. The Sun is -26. The brightest star in our night sky is -1.6. This is because the magnitude scale was originally just a visual estimate to put stars in 6 groups, where first magnitude stars were the brightest group and sixth magnitude stars were dimmest. Now we have a mathematical formula and precise instruments to measure the actual brightness, instead of just estimating by eye. The formula allows any number. The dimmest stars telescopes have seen are something like magnitude 26. The Sun is -26. If we were on Mercury, the Sun would be maybe -27.
2007-11-01 10:37:39 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wow, the first answer is way off.
A negative magnitude is just fine. The brightest star in the night sky, Sirius, is magnitude -1.5 approximately. The full moon is about -12.7, and the sun is -26 or so.
Venus is currently about -4.3. Negative magnitudes are just brighter than magnitude 0.
2007-11-01 17:26:35 · answer #2 · answered by Arkalius 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The more negative the magnitude, the brighter the star appears. That first answer is completely incorrect.
2007-11-01 17:29:16 · answer #3 · answered by clitt1234 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Than you either got the problem wrong or it isn't actually a star. Science is my best subject and we just recently studied this. In order to have a star the apparent magnatude must be more than 0.
2007-11-01 17:23:30 · answer #4 · answered by taytitmer 1 · 0⤊ 6⤋