In: Physics
7. Sirius has an approximate visual magnitude of -1.46 (Sirius A) a. How much brighter is Sirius than the star Achernar (Mv = 0.46) ? (looking for intensity, not magnitude) b. Sirius has a small white dwarf companion (Sirius B) with a magnitude of 8.5. How much brighter is the main star (Sirius A) than its companion (Sirius B)?
Brightness of star is intensity of light received from it.
Intensity and apparent magnitude of two stars is given by relation
a)
Visual magnitude of Sirius is and Visual magnitude of star Achernar
Sirius is times brighter than Achernar.
b)
Visual magnitude of star Sirius B is
Main star Sirius A is times brighter than Sirius B.
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