🔍 Key Concepts

• Stellar magnitude scale and what a lower vs higher number means • Difference between apparent magnitude (brightness as seen from Earth) and physical size • How positive and negative magnitude values relate to brightness

💭 Think About

• Compare the numerical values of the magnitudes given and recall whether a smaller or larger magnitude number corresponds to higher brightness • Think about very bright objects like the Sun or Sirius—are their magnitudes large positive numbers, small positive numbers, or even negative? • Ask yourself if the term ‘magnitude’ in basic astronomy is used for physical diameter or for how bright the object appears in the sky

✅ Before You Answer

• Verify whether lower magnitude = brighter or higher magnitude = brighter on the astronomical magnitude scale • Confirm that the term used in simple star charts is apparent magnitude (brightness), not physical size • Check which of the given stars has the smallest numerical magnitude value (closest to zero or negative)