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   ABSOLUTE AND APPARENT MAGNITUDE

Rank Star Absolute Magnitude Apparent Magnitude Distance 
(light-years)		 RA Dec
. The Sun (Sol) +4.8 -26.72 .    
1 Sirius (in Canis Major) +1.5 -1.46 8.6 06 45.1 -16 43
2 Canopus (in Carina) -2.5 -0.72 74 06 23.6 -52 41
3 Rigel Kentaurus (Alpha Centauri) (in Centaurus) +4.4 -0.27 4.3 14 39.3 -60 50
4 Arcturus (in Boötes) +0.2 -0.04 34 14 15 +19 11
5 Vega (in Lyra) +0.6 0.03 25    
6 Capella (in Auriga) +0.4 +0.08 41    
7 Rigel (in Orion) -8.1 +0.12 1,400    
8 Procyon (in Canis Minor) 2.8 +0.38 11    
9 Archenar (in Eridanus) -1.3 +0.46 75    
10 Betelgeuse (in Orion) -7.2 +0.50 1,500    
11 Hadar (in Centaurus) -4.3 +0.61 300    
12 Altair (in Aquila) +2.3 +0.77 17    
13 Acrux (in Crux) -3.8 +0.79 270    
14 Aldebaran (in Taurus) -0.2 +0.85 65    
15 Antares (in Scorpius) -4.5 +0.96 400    
... ... ... ... ...    
20 Deneb (in Cygnus) -7.2 +1.25 1,500    
-- Proxima Centauri (in Centaurus) +15.5 +11.05 (var.) 4.3    

Apparent magnitude is a measure of the brightness of a celestial object as seen from Earth. The lower the number, the brighter the object. Negative numbers indicate extreme brightness. The full moon has an apparent magnitude of -12.6; the sun's is -26.8. We can see objects up to 6th magnitude without a telescope. Apparent magnitude is abbreviated m. This system of rating the brightness of celestial objects was developed by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus in 120 B.C.

Absolute magnitude is a measure of the inherent brightness of a celestial object. This scale is defined as the apparent magnitude a star would have if it were seen from a distance of 32.6 light-years (10 parsecs). The lower the number, the brighter the object. Negative numbers indicate extreme brightness.
 
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