1.

The faintest stars which we can see with the naked eyes are the 6th magnitude in the visible
wavelength (0.55 m). The flux of the zero magnitude star at this wavelength is 3.8108 W/m2 /m.
Calculate the flux of a 6th magnitude star.
2. The Very Large Telescope on Cerro Paranal (about 130 km south of Antofagasta) has a diameter
of 8 m. With this telescope, we can see stars 4 billion (4 109 ) times fainter than can be seen with the
naked eyes. Using the flux of a 6th magnitude star derived above, calculate the flux of a star 4 billion
times fainter. Then calculate the magnitude of this star. This magnitudethe faintest limit you can
see with a given telescopeis called limiting magnitude.
3. Sirius has a B magnitude of 1.46 and V magnitude of 1.46. Betelgeuse has a B magnitude of
2.35 and V magnitude of 0.58. Calculate the color index B V for each star. Compare which star has
the larger value. Think about what it means. Is it consistent with what you see in the night sky?

4. Derive the formula of the absolute magnitude:

M = m 5 (log d 1),
where M is the absolute magnitude, m is the apparent magnitude, and d is the distance in units of
pc.
5. The Sun has an apparent magnitude of 27. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is 1.51013 cm.
Use 1 pc = 3.1 1018 cm. Calculate the absolute magnitude of the Sun. The absolute magnitude of
the Sun means how bright (or faint) the Sun would be if it were place to a distance of 10 pc from the
Earth. Does the Sun appear very bright when seen from 1 pc away?

6. A star at a distance of 1 parsec has a parallax of 1 arcsec. Calculate 1 parsec in cm.