Introduction

In astronomy, magnitudes are a measure of how bright we see a celestial object from Earth. There are two types of magnitudes: absolute magnitude and apparent magnitude. The difference between the two will be explained below.

Absolute Magnitude

The absolute magnitude of an object celestial is a measure of its intrinsic brightness, that is, if it were at a distance of 10 parsecs (32,6 light years) from us. This measurement is obtained by measuring the amount of energy the object emits at all wavelengths. It is represented by the letter "M".

The absolute magnitude does not depend on the distance that separates us from the object, since it is measured at a standard distance. For example, if two stars have the same absolute magnitude, then they will emit the same amount of energy, regardless of how far they are from us.

Apparent Magnitude

The apparent magnitude of a celestial object is a measure of its brightness as we see it from Earth. This measurement takes into account the amount of energy that our eye receives and is represented by the letter "m". The apparent magnitude depends on both the luminosity of the object and the distance that separates us from it.

Apparent magnitude is measured on an inverse scale: as the magnitude number increases, the luminosity of the object decreases. For example, a magnitude 1 star is about 100 times brighter than a magnitude 6 star.

Difference between both magnitudes

The difference between absolute magnitude and apparent magnitude is the distance that separates us from the object. If two objects have the same absolute magnitude, but one is closer to us than the other, the apparent magnitude of the latter will be greater. On the other hand, if two objects have the same apparent magnitude, but one is brighter than the other, the absolute magnitude of the latter will be greater.

Conclusion

In short, absolute magnitude and apparent magnitude are two different measurements of the brightness of a celestial object. Absolute magnitude measures the intrinsic brightness of the object, while apparent magnitude measures the brightness as we see it from Earth. Both measurements are important in astronomy, since they allow us to better understand the characteristics of celestial objects and their position in the universe.

Sources consulted

• Encyclopedia Britannica
• Astronomy: Beginner's Guide

You may also be interested in this related content:

• Difference between meteor and meteorite
• Difference between twilight and sunset
• What Are The Effects Of The Solar Eclipse?