absolute magnitude

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the magnitude of a star as it would appear to a hypothetical observer at a distance of 10 parsecs or 32.6 light-years.

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absolute magnitude British  

noun

1. the apparent magnitude a given star would have if it were situated at a distance of 10 parsecs (32.6 light years) from the earth

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absolute magnitude Scientific  

1. See under at magnitude

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Etymology

Origin of absolute magnitude

First recorded in 1900–05

Compare meaning

How does absolute-magnitude compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• apparent magnitude vs. absolute magnitude

Example Sentences

“The absolute magnitude of these adverse effects is modest, but clinically relevant,” the report’s authors wrote.

From Washington Times

These reddening corrections were applied to the photometry to calculate absolute magnitudes and bolometric luminosities.

From Nature

I had underestimated the scope and scale of dishonesty, its depth and breadth, its absolute magnitude.

From New York Times

By this method the absolute magnitude, and hence the distance of a star is accurately determined from estimates of the relative intensities of certain lines in stellar spectra.

From Project Gutenberg

When we say "absolute magnitude," we do not mean a magnitude which stands out of all relations to other facts in the universe.

From Project Gutenberg