The bright star named Rigel has a luminosity of 66,000 L and a temperature of 11,000 K.What is its radius? Note that the temperature of the Sun is 5,800 K. A)5 R_☉ B)30 R_☉ C)70 R_☉ D)135 R_☉ E)190 R_☉

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The luminosity (L) of a star is related to its radius (R) and temperature (T) by the formula L = 4πR²σT⁴. By comparing Rigel's luminosity and temperature to the Sun's, and using the formula, we find that Rigel's radius is approximately 70 times that of the Sun.

The Bright Star Named Rigel Has a Luminosity of 66,000