SMILE2340
  • HW 78620
    • HW Trails >
      • Heritage Trail Loop
      • Orange Trail
      • Big Foot trail, vacant construction road, SE square
      • The Blue Trail
      • The Upper Red Trail
      • Upper Green Trail
      • Yellow/Canyonwood Trail
      • The East/West Trail
      • The Lower Green Trail
      • Roy Branch Creek Trail
      • The Best Trail to Run On Trail
    • HW Sidewalk Loop Distances
    • Stargazers >
      • Next Night Observation Notes >
        • Nov 15, 2024 notes
        • Oct 11 2024 Notes
        • April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse HW, Dripping Springs, TX
      • Frequently Asked Questions >
        • How do you set up your night sky observation sessions?
        • Explain why there are four sunrises/sunsets?
        • What are the fundamental motions of the night sky?
        • Explain magnitude of night sky objects?
        • What is a constellation?
        • Star Enlightenment
        • Moon Enlightenment
        • Have you ever gone into space, Mr. Konichek?
        • Do you have some Earth orbiting the sun stories?
        • Woman's image on Moon?
      • Aniruddh Nayak's Photos
      • Paul's 12" Telescope Photos
      • Kinesthetics >
        • Planets PM or AM h-above
        • Earth/Sun & times of day
        • Moon Proof that it spins on axis
        • Earth / Moon perigee & apogee
        • Sun / Earth Seasons, Zodiac Sign
      • Activities - Hands On >
        • Celestial Sphere with fruit
        • Constellation Puzzles - h-above
        • Outdoor solar system walk
        • Bugs Bunny What's Up Doc
        • Stars on Ceiling Kit
        • 13 constellations on the ecliptic?
    • Field Camera Critters >
      • Nov 2024 HW
      • Winter of 2023-2024
      • NOV23 CRITTERS 14, ONE UNKNOWN
      • bobcat
      • Porcupine
      • Two different at same time
      • Pigs (wild) with piglets
      • Coyotes
      • Fox
      • Skunk
      • Raccoons
      • Deer
      • Other
    • Plot Maps (many but not all) >
      • Crescent Moon Crt
      • Crimson Sky Court >
        • Crimson Sky 112-313
        • Crimson Sky 355 - 477
      • Dayridge Drive >
        • Dayridge Dr 112 to 245
        • Dayridge Dr 220-786
        • Dayridge Dr 497-841
      • Hazy Hills Loop >
        • Hazy Hills Lp 134-520
        • Hazy Hills Lp 531-654
        • Hazy Hills Lp 719 to 1054
        • Hazy Hills 1076 to 1307
        • Hazy Hills Lp 1363A-D to 1651
        • Hazy Hills Lp 1661 - 1897
      • HW BLVD
      • Moonlit Stream Pass >
        • Moonlit Stream 119 - 379
        • Moonlit Stream 390-688
      • Phase 3 off Roy Branch Rd >
        • Cactus Wren Ct
        • Iron Willow Lp 354 - 566
        • Iron Willow Ct area
        • Silver Sage Ct
      • Sage Thrasher Circle >
        • Sage Thrasher 136-224
        • Sage Thrasher 250-840
        • Sage Thrasher 900-1202
      • Smoke Tree Circle
      • Starfire Drive 120 to 328
      • Tierra Tr 133-306
      • Tierra Trail 323 - 411
      • Townes Court
  • PHYSICS
    • Year Round Physics Pages >
      • Calendars 2013-2014 >
        • Calendars 2012-2013
      • Physics Textbooks Online
      • How to do a Lab Report
      • How to Graph in Excel
      • GNATS >
        • Infinities
    • Vectortines & Astrotines Day Video - Normal Pre-school morning
    • Physics 1st Quarter 2012-2013 >
      • Unit 1 Motion (1st half) >
        • Sept. 3 Welcome & Intro
        • Sept. 4 Bernoulli >
          • 2013-14 videos
        • Sept 5 Intro to Motion
        • Sept. 6 GREAT RACE
        • Sept. 9 Review Great Race
        • Sept. 10 Physics 500
        • Sept. 11 Graph Your Route
        • Sept. 12 Measurement Lab-Day 1
        • Sept. 13 Measurement Lab-Day 2
        • Sept. 16 Sonic Ranger-Day 1
        • Sept. 17 Acceleration
      • Unit 1 Motion (2nd half) >
        • Sept. 18 Sketch-A-Graph
        • Sept. 19 Fab Five
        • Sept. 20 Rocket Lab
        • Sept. 23 Homework Gravity
        • Sept. 24 Law of Falling Bodies
        • Sept. 25 Freefall Terminal Velocity
        • Sept. 26 Parachutes
        • Sept. 27 Parachute Competition
        • Sept. 30 Review
        • Oct. 1 TEST
        • Oct. 2 Review Awards
      • Unit 2 Acceleration (1st half) >
        • Oct. 3 Factors of Acceleration Lab-Day 1
        • Oct. 4 Factors of Acceleration Lab-Day 2
        • Oct. 7 Donatello, B & B Lab, Prob.
        • Oct. 8 Who Pushed That Speeding Truck? Lab
        • Oct. 9 Inertia Homework
        • Oct. 10 Push That Cart Lab
        • Oct. 11 Push That Cart Lab-Day 2
      • Unit 2 Acceleration (2nd half) >
        • Oct. 14 Tablecloth Videos, Inertia
        • Oct. 15 Friction is Fun Lab-Day 1
        • Oct. 16 Friction is Fun Lab-Day 2
        • Oct. 17 Friction Theories
        • Oct. 18 2013 Hovercraft
        • Oct. 18 2012 Hovercraft 1,2,4,5
        • Oct. 18 2012 Hovercraft 5,7,8
        • Oct. 21 Review
        • Oct. 22 TEST
      • Unit 3 >
        • Oct. 23 Infinities (GNATS2)
        • Oct. 24 Page 1 Action-Reaction
        • Oct. 24 Page 2
        • Oct. 25 Action-Reaction
        • Oct. 28 Vectors- Where Am I?
        • Oct. 29 Addition of Vectors Lab-Day 1
        • Oct. 30 Addition of Vectors Lab-Day 2
        • Oct. 31 Vector Homework
        • Nov. 1 Resolution of a Force Lab
    • Physics 2nd Q >
      • Unit 3 Continued >
        • Nov. 4 Plane Application
        • Nov. 5 Ship application
        • Nov. 6 Weight of the World Lab
        • Nov. 7 Parking on a Hill Lab
        • Nov 8 Vector Bowling 2013 >
          • Nov. 8 Vector Bowling 2012
        • Nov. 12 Fundamental Forces
        • Nov. 13 Review
        • Nov. 14 TEST
      • Unit 4 >
        • Nov. 18 Bull's Eye Lab
        • Nov. 19 Projectile Hunter
        • Nov. 21 Trajectory Lab-Day 1
        • Nov. 22 Trajectory Lab-Day 2
        • Nov. 23 Hot Wheels Jump Through the Burning Ring of Fire
        • Nov. 25 Paper Rockets & Make Up Day 1
        • Nov. 26 Launch Day & Make Up Day 2
        • Dec. 2 Review for Unit 4 Test on Proj. Motion
        • Dec. 3 TEST 2D Motion Unit 4
        • Dec. 4 Early Release Day
      • Unit 5 >
        • Dec. 5 Circular & Harmonic Motion
        • Dec. 6 G on an Egg Lab
        • Dec. 9 Gravitation
        • Dec. 10 Zero G???
        • Dec. 11 Airplanes Airplanes Lab
        • Dec. 12 Circular HW
        • Dec. 13 Pendulum Lab
        • Dec. 16 Hooke's Law Lab-Day 1
        • Dec. 17 Mass on a Spring
        • Dec. 18 Review
        • Dec. 19 TEST
        • Dec. 20 Tops & Spinners
      • Unit 6 >
        • Jan. 2 Egg Design and Building
        • Jan. 3 All-American Egg Drop
        • Jan. 6 no school due to cold 2014 but momentum 2013
        • Jan. 6/7 cold day off 2014/Impulse 2014 Impulse-Momentum 2013
        • Jan. 7 cold day off 2014 but Center of Mass 2013
        • Jan. 8 Impulse 2014 but Center of Mass cont. 2013
        • Jan. 9 Stability 2014 but Conservation of Momentum Lab-Day 1 2013
        • Jan. 10 Center of Mass 2014 but Conservation of Momentum Lab-Day 2 2013
        • Jan. 13 Conservation of Momentum 2014 but Review 2013
        • Jan. 14 Conservation of Momentum 2014 TEST 2013
        • Jan. 15 Scavenger Hunt collection 2014 but OMIT Awards 2013
        • Jan. 16 FINALS (Odd hours)
        • Jan. 17 FINALS (Even hours)
    • Physics 3rd Q >
      • Unit 7 >
        • Jan. 22 Walking on Broken Glass Demo (Pressure, Work)
        • Jan. 23 Energy of Collisions
        • Jan. 24 Laying on a Bed of Nails, PE = mgh
        • Jan. 27 Pile Driver Lab
        • Jan. 28 Joules in a Calorie Lab
        • Jan. 29 How Fast Can You Work? Lab
        • Jan. 30 Power Tube Roll-off
        • Jan. 31 Alka-Bomb Testing
        • Feb. 3 Conservation of Energy
        • Feb. 4 Conservation of Energy
        • Feb. 5 Loop the Loop Lab
        • Feb. 6 Conservation Problems
        • Feb. 7 Dart Gun Lab
        • Feb. 10 Finish home work sheet
        • Feb. 11 Ballistic Pendulum
        • Feb. 12 Review
        • Feb. 13 Test - Energy
        • Feb. 14 Infinities
        • Feb. 14 Mt. Aconcagua
      • Unit 8 >
        • Feb. 18 Magnetism
        • Feb. 19 Magnetism
        • Feb. 20 Electromagnetism
        • Feb. 21 It Can't Work Lab
        • Feb. 24 Electrostatics
        • Feb. 25 Charging/Van de Graff
        • Feb. 26 Static uses
        • Feb. 27 Get a Charge Lab
        • Feb. 28 Coulomb/Millikan Oil Drop
        • Mar. 3 Electrophorus/Wimshirst
        • Mar. 4 Lightning
        • Mar. 5 Leyden Jar
        • Mar. 6 Capacitors
        • Mar. 7 Superconductivity >
          • Capt. Jenkins demo's bottom of Mar. 8
        • Mar. 10 Review
        • Mar. 11 TEST
      • Unit 9 Relativity & Waves >
        • Mar. 12 Relativity
        • Mar. 13 Relativity
        • Mar. 14 Relativity
        • Mar. 17 Waves
        • Mar. 18 Slinnnnnnky Interference
        • Mar. 19 Wave Machine
        • Mar. 20 Hot Sounds
        • Mar. 21 Resonance
    • Physics 4th Q >
      • Unit 9 Continued >
        • Mar. 31 Speed of Sound Lab
        • Apr. 1 Sound of Music
        • Apr. 2 Sound of Music
        • Apr. 3 Doppler Polarization
        • Apr. 4 Laser
        • Apr. 7 Holography
        • Apr. 8 Review
        • Apr. 9 TEST
      • Unit 10 Reflection Unit >
        • Apr. 10 TCOB Awards
        • Apr. 11 Reflection
        • Apr. 14 Draw Your Face Lab
        • continue >
          • Apr. 28 Illusions/Review
          • Apr. 28 Review/Illusions Cont.
          • Apr. 29 TEST
          • April 30 Pre-Great America
          • May 1 Physics Great America
          • May 2 Review PGA
        • Apr. 15 Parallax Blue Skies Scattering
        • Apr. 16 Reflection Lab parts 1 &2
        • Apr. 17 Part 3 of Reflection of Light Lab and Magic Cylinder
        • Apr. 21 Light Bulbs/LUX/LM/Blue Moon
        • Apr. 22 Concave Mirrors
        • Apr. 23 Convex Mirrors
        • Apr. 24 Ripple Tank Lab-Day 1
        • Apr. 25 Ripple Tank Lab-Day 2
      • Unit 11 Refraction Unit >
        • May 5 Refraction Unit Day 1
        • May 6 Refraction Effects - The Eye
        • May 7 Refraction Lab Day 1
        • May 8 Refraction Lab Day 2
        • May 9 Ray Diagrams
        • May 12 2 WAY MIRROR & HMWK
        • May 13 Lens Lab
        • May 14 Total Internal Reflection (TIR)
        • May 15 Rainbows/Mirages
        • May 16 3-D & Refraction Effects
        • May 19 Review
        • May 20 Test
        • May 21 Go Over Test
        • May 22 Senior's Last Day
      • Final Stuff >
        • May 23 Rocket Project Physics
        • May 27 Rocket Project Physics
        • May 28 Rocket Project Physics
        • May 29/30 Rocket Project Physics
        • June 2/3/4 Launch!
      • Videos 2011-2012 >
        • Period 1
        • Period 2
        • Vector Bowling
        • Period 4
        • Period 6
        • Period 7
        • Period 8
        • Pole Vault Practice W=KE=PE=Q
      • Rocket Launches 6/02/14 >
        • period 1
        • period 2
        • period 3
        • period 4
        • period 7
        • period 8
      • Rocket Launches 6/3/13 >
        • Periods 1,4 pictures 5,7,8
      • Rocket Launches 6/01/2012 >
        • Period 1
        • Period 2
        • Period 4
        • Period 6
        • Period 7
        • Period 8
        • Physics memories...
        • Physics 4th Q 2011-2012 >
          • Unit 8: Electrostatics, Magnetism, and Superconductors
          • Unit 9: Waves, sound, polarization, holograms
          • Unit 10 reflection of light and ripple tank
          • Unit 11 Refraction of Light
    • AP PHYSICS B >
      • Post Test options
      • Grading Plan till year end
      • Answers to text book Questions >
        • Chapters 1-8 >
          • Chapter 1
          • Chapter 2
          • Chapter 3
          • Chapter 4
          • Chapter 5
          • Chapter 6
          • Chapter 7
          • Chapter 8
        • Chapters 9-16 >
          • Chapter 9
          • Chapter 10
          • Chapter 11
          • Chapter 12
          • Chapter 13
          • Chapter 14
          • Chapter 15
          • Chapter 16
        • Chapters 17-24 >
          • Chapter 17
          • Chapter 18
          • Chapter 19
          • Chapter 20
          • Chapter 21
          • Chapter 22
          • Chapter 23
          • Chapter 24
        • Chapters 25-31
      • Period 3 videos
      • Calendar
      • Mechanics >
        • Sept 10 Dimensional Analysis
      • Chapter 9 Fluid Dynamics
      • Chap 13 Simple Harmonic Motion, Waves
      • Chap 15 Electric Forces and Electric Fields
      • Chap 16 Electrical Energy and Capacitance
      • Chap 17 Current and Resistance
      • Chapter 18 DC Circuits
      • Chapter 19 Magnetism
      • Chapter 20.1-20.3 Induced Voltages and Inductance
      • Chapter 27 Quantum Physics
    • AP PHYSICS C >
      • College Credit for AP
      • Princeton Exam 1 Free Response
      • Bull's Eye Lab the AP Way
      • Plover Water System Videos
      • 3rd Q >
        • Jan. 29 - Dot Product, Cross Product, Magnetic Flux
        • Jan. 30 - Faraday's Law
        • Jan. 31 - Motor Demos and CH 20 review
        • Feb. 1 - Practice Mech Exam
        • Feb. 4 - Review Practice Mech #1
        • Feb. 5 - Generators, RL Circuits
        • Feb. 6 - Demos with AP-B
        • Feb. 7 - Chapter 20 Hmwk and Practice Exam Work Day
        • Feb. 8 - Practice Exam Problems
        • Feb. 11 - What is AP Looking For?
        • Feb. 12 - Coulomb's Law
        • Feb. 13 - Short Day
        • Feb. 14 - Practice Problem #3 and 15.4-15.6
        • Feb. 15
        • Feb. 18
    • Physics Sharing >
      • writing references
      • Forces on an Incline Plane
      • Resolution of a Force
  • Astronomy
    • 5 MUST SEE VIDEOS
    • Learn Constellations & Stars/Star Trails explained
    • Constellation puzzles
    • Astronomy Text Condensed
    • Comets & Asteroids >
      • Comets (Halley's Comet, Keiper Belt, Oort Cloud (four short videos)
      • Asteroids (1 short video) Keiper Belt
    • UFO UNIT
    • VENUS TRANSIT VIDEOS >
      • Venus Transit 1st dozen videos taken
      • Venus Transit next 16 videos
      • Two more videos & a picture
      • Mr. Bill Jenkins Transit Day Pictures
      • My SMART PHONE pictures
      • Learning the Sky
    • 3rd quarter 2014 >
      • Jan 22 GNATS 1 FUN MOTIONS of THE SKY
      • Jan 23 GNATS 2 IMPROVED CALENDAR
      • Jan 23 GNATS 3 TIME ZONES
      • Feb 3rd
      • Feb 4th
      • Feb 5th
      • Feb 6th
      • Feb 7th
      • Feb 10th Chap. 3 Copernican Rev
      • Feb 13th Finish Chap 4 Going There
      • Feb 14th TOSA (Top of South America Expedition) Aconcagua
      • Feb 19th Area of a Sphere -
      • March 3rd Chapter 6 The Earth Lecture
      • Teacher Planning
    • 4th quarter 2014
  • Pythagorean Triplets
    • Pythagorean Triplets
    • Calculus Differentiation Rules
    • MATH 111 >
      • The Class Songs
      • Course Info.
      • Homework & my solutions
      • Class Notes & Extra Problems
      • Quizzes & Exams & my solutions
      • Extra Credit & GNATS
      • Solutions to Hmwk
      • Getting Hooked on Math
    • Dr. George Kung
  • Rubics Cube
    • Photo Solution >
      • Vocabulary of Solution
      • Step 1 of 7
      • Step 2 of 7
      • Step 3 of 7
      • Step 4 of 7
      • Step 5 of 7
      • Step 6 of 7
      • Step 7 of 7
    • Abbreviated Solution
    • Original Solution
  • Ancestry
    • Family Birthdays >
      • Birthdays by Month
      • Birthdays by Family
      • Konichek family by generation
      • Birthdays by Age
    • PDC area Konichek genealogy >
      • 1st, 2nd, & 3rd generations of Konichek
    • My DNA Results Explained
    • My Grandparents ///////////////// 9 Generations >
      • My Paternal Grandfather's Side
      • My Paternal Grandmother's Side
      • My Maternal Grandfather's Side
      • My Maternal Grandmother's Side
    • Ava & Emmett's Grandparents 1st - 9th >
      • 10th Grandparents
    • Ancestry of Grandchildren (actual immigration papers!)
    • Grandchildren to Adam Ancestry on BOTH Ava's mom & dad's sides
    • Ancestry & Inventions
    • Moms Clark Photo Album
    • My Dads Paternal Side >
      • 1 John & Elizabeth Konichek
      • 2 Joseph & Mary Konichek >
        • 3 William J Konichek
        • 3 John Konichek
        • 3 Kate Konichek
        • 3 Fred Konichek
      • 3 Frank & Anna Konichek
      • 4 Edward & Mary Konichek >
        • 5 Mamie Konichek
        • 5 Elsie Konichek
      • 5 Leo & Dorothy Konichek
      • 6 Paul & Judith Konichek >
        • Judy's m, p,, p, maternal side
        • Judy's m, m, paternal
        • Judy's m, m, maternal
        • Judy's maternal paternal, maternal
        • Judy's paternal side
    • My Dads Maternal Side >
      • 1 Tomas & Rosalie Mezera
      • 2 Mathias & Josephine Mezera
      • 3 Frank Mezera & Anna Chvatal
      • 4 Mary Mezera & Edward Konichek
      • 5 Leo & Dorothy Konichek
      • 6 Paul & Judith Koniichek
    • Leo & Dorothy Konichek Genealogy >
      • Clarence & Carolyn Bierman
      • Floyd & Sue Konichek
      • Steve & Donna Metzger
      • Paul & Judy Konichek >
        • Alissa & Fred's Published Articles
        • Drew & Sam >
          • Church Entrance
          • The Vows
          • Reception
      • Greg & Mary Mandigo >
        • Greg and Jamie
  • Infinities
  • Other
    • Space Foundation Teacher Liaisons >
      • Workshop Presentation 2019 >
        • Lights Off Learning
        • Astronomy Five Must See Videos
        • Mental Multiplying
        • To Infinity & Beyond
        • NIM (a game opening ones first door to learning about bases)
      • The 2015 Space Foundation Teacher Liaison
      • How to Become a Space Foundation Teacher Liaison
      • 31st National Space Symposium
      • What is the Space Foundation?
      • 29th Space Symposium >
        • Pre and Start of Opening Ceremony
        • Opening Ceremony (cont.)
        • Workshops Tuesday
        • Other
    • Christianity/Math/Science >
      • No Volume in Heaven
      • Rational Man cooping with Irrational #'s
      • My Second Sermon Story
      • Variety in Religions & People?
      • Math Proof of Christianity
      • Matter is the exception
      • Jesus Stories of My Life
    • Scouts >
      • Bernoulli's Principle
    • Homecoming >
      • Mr. SPASH BACKWARDS 2nd Half
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      • Parade
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      • Astronomy (40 articles) empty
      • Untitled
      • Math (evolves into math) >
        • All the number systems...
        • The next 13 (empty)
        • The final 13 (empty)
      • Physics (evolves into Physics)
    • Comp Prog >
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  • Mountains
    • HISTORY OF MTS. CLIMBED
    • COLORADO 14er's Summitted
    • Wetterhorn 2015
    • Future Mts. of 2016 >
      • Culebra Peak 7/22/2016
      • Mount Sneffels 7/24/16
      • Grizzly Peak 7/27/2016
    • 50 for Tibet >
      • Itinerary 2013
      • Mt. Pico Videos
      • Andorra Videos
      • Gibraltar Videos
  • Ava & Emmett's Grandparents 1st - 9th
  • Gibraltar Videos
  • Ancestry of Grandchildren (actual immigration papers!)
  • Grandchildren to Adam Ancestry on BOTH Ava's mom & dad's sides

Star Enlightenment

1.  Star brightness:   Apparent magnitude vs Absolute Magnitude
Simply put apparent magnitude is the magnitude (brightness) of a star as it appears to us on Earth.
When I prepare night sky observation sessions, I’m concerned with what the apparent magnitude is as my eyes can only see apparent magnitudes of +6 from the darkest possible sites, probably a +4 from my front yard due to being lower than the bridge lights and neighbors across the street front lights, and probably +1 from a park in the middle of the city of Austin, TX.
Also, the binoculars and telescopes I use are each limited to what apparent magnitudes they can see.   These values were covered in a previous question about magnitude above.  Return to previous magnitude question answer.
 
Now absolute magnitude might be the one that you don’t see why it matters to you, as absolute magnitude (brightness) is the magnitude of a star as it would appear to a hypothetical observer at a distance of 10 parsecs or 32.6 light-years.
You may have heard the term parsecs in the original “Star Wars” movie, the bar scene, where Han Solo is showing Obi-Wan Kenobi his starship, trying to convince the Jedi of its speed.  Hans says, “You’ve never heard of the Millennium Falcon?  It’s the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs.” 
That sounds awfully fast, doesn’t it?  But the parsec (like the light year) is a unit of distance, NOT time.   A parsec is equivalent to about 19 trillion miles or 3.26 light-years.   I apologize for them for confusing you.
Analogy:  Here’s another daily confusing example of where units are misused.  When you buy carpeting or flooring you pay for it by the yard, but we are talking about a two-dimension area and a yard is a one-dimension unit.   I figure that since these professions work with their product of area for a living, they just take for granted that you realize that it is a square yard so just leave the word square off, to save time.  
This is the same mistake with volume occupations (like when you order a truck load of dirt or cement) as you order them and pay for them by the yard when again, the people who do this for a living think that you automatically know that volume is three-dimensional so their yard is actually referring to a cubic yard (a volume that has the dimensions of the length of a yard, the width of a yard, and the height of a yard; is commonly referred to as a cubic yard.)  Since these professions work in volume daily, to save time, they just refer to the amount they are selling you as a yard.
So, a light-year and a parsec, even though they contain units of time in them are both units of distance so when they are misused as units of time, I can see why it would confuse people.
2.  Give an example of how Absolute Magnitude is used.
Have you ever heard the expression: “You are comparing apples to oranges but you need to compare apples to apples in this problem?”
Well, when Astronomers who study Stars want to compare Stars in a fair way, they want to know what happens if each of those stars were placed at the same distance from Earth.   Because there exist super red giant stars that if you placed them at the distance of our Sun from the Earth (one astronomical unit or 1 AU) these super red giants would engulf our entire solar system (true, all our planets would end up within the diameter of these stars).  Thus when Astronomers choose a distance to place all the stars at, they choose the very large distance of 10 parsecs; where 1 parsec is 3.26 light years.
  One example showing using absolute magnitude is:
​
Picture
The above graphs are commonly referred to as HR Diagrams as the two Astronomers Hertzsprung and Russell discovered a pattern when they graphed stars by their color (Spectral Class) and Absolute Magnitude.  The graphs above show the results of graphing lots of stars and where they ended up on the graph.   When I taught Astronomy, I had my 300 students each graph a hundred stars this way by giving them the Spectral Class and Absolute Magnitude of a hundred stars.   All the students really enjoyed this activity as one of the stars they plotted was our sun on the graph and several dozen of the other stars they had learned the names and meanings of and they knew how to locate them in the night sky.  Do you recognize the names of any of the above stars?   Isn’t it cool to see where the star you know is on the HR diagram?
The surface temperature is also called the Spectral Class and the Spectral Classes are O, B, A, F, G, K, M from left to right in the HR diagram on the horizontal axis.   A way of remembering the Spectral Class letters is:  “Oh, Be A Fine Girl (or Guy if you prefer), Kiss, Me.   The O & B stars would be shades of Blue (the hottest ones), A’s white, F & G are shades of yellow, K’s orange in color and M’s are red.
Example of a star classification:  Our Sun is classified as a G2 V star, with G2 standing for the second hottest stars of the yellow G class and the V representing that it is on the main sequence of the HR diagram.
​
Note:  This is as far as I had time for this morning but I'll add some more great star information soon.