One binary star consists of two 2 ^ m stars and the other consists of one 1 ^ m star and one 3 ^ m star. Which of these pairs is brighter?
September 15, 2020 | Education
| To solve it, it is enough to remember that the magnitude scale is logarithmic, and a difference of one magnitude means that one star is K times brighter than the other. The value of K is approximately 2.512, although this is no longer important for the solution. If we designate the brightness of the star as 3m per unit, then the brightness of the first double will be equal to 2K, and the second – (K2 +1). Obviously, for any value of K greater than one, the second expression is larger.
