The star β Arietis has an apparent magnitude of +2.7 and a distance of 52 ly. What is its absolute magnitude, M?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The absolute magnitude, M, of a star can be calculated using the formula: $M = m + 5 - 5 \log_{10}(d)$, where $m$ is the apparent magnitude and $d$ is the distance in parsecs. First, convert the distance from light years to parsecs (1 ly = 0.306601 parsec), so 52 ly is approximately 15.943 parsecs. Plugging the values into the formula gives $M = 2.7 + 5 - 5 \log_{10}(15.943) \approx 1.7$.

The Star β Arietis Has an Apparent Magnitude of +2