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apparent brightness and distance are the most straightforward measurements.
However using the Hertzprung-Russel (HR) Diagram you can determine the stellar class (and with it the luminosity) of a star by observing it's color, and the characteristics of the spectral lines in the stars light. This allows a quick, if indirect, and accurate method to determining stellar luminosities.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThere are many methods, but the most common one today, for individual stars, is to use the Hertzprung-Russell (H-R) diagram. This diagram is a graph of many stars with luminosity on the y-axis, and temperature on the x-axis.
Astronomers have discovered that this graph, coupled with some analysis of the stars spectrum to determine the strength of spectral lines and gas pressure, allows them to easily identify the class of star.
Once the class of a star is known, the luminosity is known.
Previous to the HR diagram astronomers had to measure the apparent brightness of the star, and then estimate it's distance from the earth. Using these they could calculate how bright the star really was. Unless you accurately account for the distance to a star, you cannot tell the difference between a dim, close star and a brilliant distant star.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agothe temperature of the star
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoBrightness
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Are The most common type of stars are low luminosity stars?
Yes. Around 76% of the stars are low luminosity stars.
What is a sentence with luminosity?
The stars in the night sky shine with a remarkable luminosity.
How do you determine a stars luminosity?
To determine a star's luminosity is from size and temperature.
What is a sentence with luminosity in it?
I was enthralled by the luminosity of the deep water jellyfish.
If a star is blue is its luminosity high or low?
Blue stars are very hot stars and so usually have high luminosity.
How is star luminosity measured?
A star's luminosity is measured according to the relevance to the sun. Basically for example, if a star is 8,300 degrees Celsius and has a luminosity of 0.001; the luminosity is compared to the sun.
Are The most common type of stars are low luminosity stars?
Yes. Around 76% of the stars are low luminosity stars.
What is a sentence with luminosity?
The stars in the night sky shine with a remarkable luminosity.
How do you determine a stars luminosity?
To determine a star's luminosity is from size and temperature.
What is a sentence with luminosity in it?
I was enthralled by the luminosity of the deep water jellyfish.
If a star is blue is its luminosity high or low?
Blue stars are very hot stars and so usually have high luminosity.
Why are most visual binary stars of low luminosity?
If the binary stars were of too high luminosity it would be impossible to distinguish the two through vision alone. Therefore most visual binary stars are of low luminosity.
What does size tell us about the luminosity of stars?
Generally, the larger the star, the more luminous it is.However, luminosity is measured as the visible light of a star as seen at the interstellar distance of 10 parsecs.So a massive star could have a lower luminosity than a bright blue supergiant.
What process of losing their outer layer causes stars to lose?
luminosity or brightness
What does a stars luminosity measure?
Luminosity is the total amount of energy emitted by a star per second.
What is the stars intrinsic brightness called?
Luminosity.
Which of the following luminosity classes refers to stars on the main sequence?
The basic luminosity classes are: I for supergiants, III for giants, and V for main-sequence stars.
