Absolute magnitude

Absolute magnitude is a way astronomers measure the intrinsic brightness of a star or celestial object. It represents how bright the object would appear if it were positioned at a standard distance of 33.3 light-years (10 parsecs) from Earth. This measurement allows for fair comparisons between objects without the effects of their varying distances from us. Essentially, absolute magnitude provides a standardized way to gauge a star's true brightness, helping astronomers understand its size, energy output, and overall properties irrespective of how far away it is.