What is the luminosity of the star regulus?

Answer 1

In astronomy, Luminosity is the amount of energy a body radiates per unit time. The luminosity of stars is measured in two forms: apparent (counting visible light only) and bolometric (total radiant energy); a bolometer is an instrument that measures radiant energy over a wide band by absorption and measurement of heating. When not qualified, luminosity means bolometric luminosity, which is measured in the SI units watts, or in terms of solar luminosities, ; that is, how many times as much energy the object radiates than the Sun, whose luminosity is 3.846×1026 W. Luminosity is an intrinsic constant independent of distance, and is measured as absolute magnitude corresponding to apparent luminosity, or bolometric magnitude corresponding to bolometric luminosity. In contrast, apparent brightness is related to distance by an inverse square law. Visible brightness is usually measured by apparent magnitude, which is on a logarithmic scale. In measuring star brightnesses, visible luminosity (not total luminosity at all wave lengths), apparent magnitude (visible brightness), and distance are interrelated parameters. If you know two, you can determine the third. Since the sun's luminosity is the standard, comparing these parameters with the sun's apparent magnitude and distance is the easiest way to remember how to convert between them.