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The luminously of a star is related to its absolute magnitude, and power output or the temperature that it burns at.

The two key factors of luminously of a star are surface area and power output or the temperature of the star. The relation is found in the Stefan-Boltzmann constant. Where the surface area is raised to the fourth power, therefore, a slight increase in temperature greatly increases the luminously of the star. The absolute magnitude is a good measure for it and not the apparent magnitude.

Examples our sun has an apparent magnitude of -26 but a visual luminously of 1 where Sirius has an apparent magnitude of -1.1 and a luminously of 22.5.

So the sun being close is much dimmer in luminously than the bright star Sirius.

2007-11-10 15:00:07 · answer #1 · answered by TicToc.... 7 · 0 0

In astronomy, luminosity is the amount of energy a body radiates per unit time.

The luminosity of stars is measured in two forms: apparent (counting visible light only) and bolometric (total radiant energy); a bolometer is an instrument that measures radiant energy over a wide band by absorption and measurement of heating. When not qualified, luminosity means bolometric luminosity, which is measured in the SI units watts, or in terms of solar luminosities, L_{\odot} ; that is, how many times as much energy the object radiates than the Sun, whose luminosity is 3.90×1026 W.

Luminosity is an intrinsic constant independent of distance, and is measured as absolute magnitude corresponding to apparent luminosity, or bolometric magnitude corresponding to bolometric luminosity. In contrast, apparent brightness is related to distance by an inverse square law. Visible brightness is usually measured by apparent magnitude, which is on a logarithmic scale.

In measuring star brightnesses, visible luminosity (not total luminosity at all wave lengths), apparent magnitude (visible brightness), and distance are interrelated parameters. If you know two, you can determine the third. Since the sun's luminosity is the standard, comparing these parameters with the sun's apparent magnitude and distance is the easiest way to remember how to convert between them.

2007-11-10 12:40:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

The observed luminosity of a star will in its simplest form depend on simple factors.
The amount of energy travelling at the speed of light that is able to escape any force able to attract it between the source and the observer.

2007-11-11 00:00:06 · answer #3 · answered by Thor 2 · 0 1

The luminosity of a star is the amount of energy that radiates from the star every unit of time.

2007-11-10 12:49:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

They use a approach referred to as interferometry, the place a gadget is placed in front of a telescope which feeds gentle from 2 widely separated mirrors into an identical telescope. this is making use of the consumer-friendly residences of sunshine, yet its accuracy is constrained by making use of the separation between the mirrors.

2016-11-11 02:01:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Brightness.

2007-11-10 12:35:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

Energy!

2007-11-10 12:43:45 · answer #7 · answered by Catherine L 2 · 0 1

Light output.

2007-11-10 14:02:57 · answer #8 · answered by butch 5 · 0 1

It's energy output/second (estimate)

http://www.astronomynotes.com/starprop/s4.htm
^^^good page that goes into more detail

2007-11-10 12:46:15 · answer #9 · answered by intracircumcordei 4 · 0 1

It's brightness.

2007-11-10 12:35:56 · answer #10 · answered by omnisource 6 · 0 1

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