Astronomical Magnitudes

Why Can We See the Moon and Planets in Daylight?

By: Mike Luciuk

Several different types of “magnitude” are used in astronomy. Most commonly, apparent magnitudes are used to describe the brightness of stellar and solar system objects while absolute magnitudes are required to assess intrinsic brightness. A method is described to evaluate extended object versus sky brightness to calculate contrast, which explains why we can see Venus in daylight sky. There are specific procedures for calculating absolute magnitudes of … Read the rest “Astronomical Magnitudes”

Sperry Observatory will be open to the public this Friday, April 25,  at 10:00 pm, after the monthly meeting. Join us in the Roy Smith Theater at 8:00 pm with our guest speaker followed by observing at 10:00 pm in the Observatory.  Register at the entrance to the Observatory.

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All visitors must register to enter the Sperry Observatory. Admission and programs are free of charge.

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