The star Arietis has an apparent magnitude of +2.7 and a distance of 52 ly.According to the equation in Discovery 10-2 in Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,what is its absolute magnitude?
A) +1.7
B) -0.9
C) +6.2
D) +3.7

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The absolute magnitude (M) can be calculated using the formula: M = m - 5(log10(d) - 1), where m is the apparent magnitude and d is the distance in parsecs. First, convert the distance from light-years to parsecs: 52 ly ≈ 15.9 pc. Then, M = 2.7 - 5(log10(15.9) - 1) ≈ 1.7.

The Star Arietis Has an Apparent Magnitude of +2