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How to Determine the Luminosity of a Star

-- Ebadur | June 7, 2020

Question:

How do we find the luminosity of a star and how does this correlate with the intensity of radiation from the star?

-- Ebadur

Answer:

There is a very nice description of this basic quantity of stars and how astronomers measure it in the ATNF Luminosity of Stars description. The luminosity is proportional to the radius of the star squared multiplied by the star’s temperature to the fourth power. The ATNF description also includes information on how a star’s luminosity is related to its brightness.

-- Jeff Mangum

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