The star named Capella has an apparent magnitude of 0, while the star named Polaris has an apparent magnitude of 2, which means that Capella is _________ than Polaris.
A) 18 times fainter
B) 6 times fainter
C) 2 times fainter
D) 2 times brighter
E) 6 times brighter

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The apparent magnitude scale is logarithmic, with a difference of 5 magnitudes corresponding to a brightness factor of 100. A difference of 2 magnitudes (from 0 to 2) means Capella is 2.512^2 times brighter than Polaris, which is approximately 6 times brighter.

The Star Named Capella Has an Apparent Magnitude of 0