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It really depends on the units used. Sometimes the Sun is used as a comparison for the brightness of other stars, or even galaxies - in this case, the Sun's luminosity is arbitrarily defined as 1, and a star that is 10 times brighter will have luminosity 10, for example. However, if you use other units, for example watts, you get quite different numbers (3.846×1026 watts for the Sun, according to the Wikipedia).

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11y ago
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4mo ago

The sun has a luminosity of 1 because it serves as the reference point for defining stellar luminosities in astronomy. Luminosity is a measure of the total energy output of a star per unit time, and it is compared to the sun's luminosity using a scale where 1 solar luminosity is equal to the sun's own luminosity. This standardization allows astronomers to compare the brightness and energy output of other stars relative to the sun.

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Q: Why does the sun have a luminosity of 1?
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Why is the suns luminosity 1?

The sun's luminosity, or brightness, is 1 because it serves as the reference point for measuring all other stars' luminosities. Other stars are compared to the sun's luminosity to determine their respective brightness levels.


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The luminosity of Deneb is about 196,000 times that of the Sun. It's one of the most luminous stars known.


What is the luminosity of the sun?

The luminosity of the Sun is approximately 3.8 x 10^26 watts, which means it is emitting this amount of energy every second. This energy output is generated through nuclear fusion reactions in the Sun's core.


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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.


According to the Hertzsprung Russell Diagram what is the luminosity of the Sun?

The luminosity of the Sun is approximately 3.8 x 10^26 watts. This value is calculated based on the Sun's size and temperature, placing it as an average star on the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram.


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