The apparent brightness of stars in general tells us nothing about their distances; we cannot assume that the dimmer stars are farther away. In order for the apparent brightness of a star to be a good indicator of its distance, all the stars would have to be:
A) at the same distance
B) the same composition
C) the same luminosity
D) by themselves instead of in binary or double-star systems
E) a lot farther away than they presently are

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The apparent brightness of a star depends on both its distance and its intrinsic luminosity. If all stars had the same intrinsic luminosity, then the apparent brightness would directly indicate their distance, with dimmer stars being farther away.

The Apparent Brightness of Stars in General Tells Us Nothing