The Mass-Luminosity Relationship

Image courtesy of NASA

Can you spot the differences in the mass and luminosity of these stars?

In order to study stars, scientists first group them based on their characteristics. These characteristics can include things like their luminosity, their color, their temperature, and even the amount of radiation a star emits. In this topic, you will learn the difference between absolute and apparent magnitude. In addition, you will explore how stars are classified based on these characteristics and how they are grouped based on spectral classes.

Essential Questions

• What is the difference between absolute and apparent magnitude?
• What are spectral classes, and how do they differ?