AST 1002: "Study Guide" Table 1

[Sections Taught by Prof. H.L. Cohen]

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Last updated January 1, 2003
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Table 1. Sky Objects (Arranged by Decreasing Apparent Brightness)
Object Apparent
Magnitude		 Brightness
Value		 Object Apparent
Magnitude		 Brightness
Value
Sun -27 16 billion x Comet Halley (1910)   0 1/4
Full Moon -13 40,000 x Polaris ("North Star") +2 1/25
VENUS (Brightest) -4½ 16 x Comet Halley (1986) +3 1/60
VENUS (Faintest) -3 4 x Naked Eye Suburban Limit +4 1/160
JUPITER (Brightest) -2½ 3 x Andromeda Galaxy +5 1/400
JUPITER (Faintest) -1 0.5 URANUS +5½ 1/600
MARS (Brightest) -3 4 x Jupiter's Four Galilean Satellites +5½ 1/600
MARS Faintest) +2 1/25 Naked Eye Rural Limit +6½ 1/1600
Sirius (Brightest "Star") -1½ 1 Brightest Asteroids +6 to +8 1/1000-1/6000
Canopus (2nd Brightest) -¾ ½ NEPTUNE +8 to +9 1/6000-1/16,000
MERCURY (Brightest) -½ 1/3 7x50 Binocular +11 1/100,000
MERCURY (Faintest) +1 1/10 Small Telescope (3 inch) +12 1/250,000
Alpha Centauri (Nearest) 0 1/4 Amateur Telescope (8 in.) +14 1/1,600,000
Arcturus 0 1/4 Telescope (12 inch) +15 1/4,000,000
Vega 0 1/4 PLUTO (Brightest) +13½ 1/1,000,000
Capella 0 1/4 PLUTO (Faintest) +15 1/4,000,000
Rigel 0 1/4 UF 30 in. Telescope (Visual) +17 1/25,000,000
SATURN (Brightest) -½ 1/3 UF 30 in. Telescope (CCD) +23 1/6,000,000,000,000
SATURN (Faintest) +1 1/10 Largest Telescopes (CCD) +30 1/4,000,000,000,000
Remaining Stars of "First
Magnitude" (about 15)		 +½ to
+1½		 1/6 to
1/16		 Hubble (94 in.)
Space Telescope (CCD)		 +30 1/4,000,000,000,000

    Table Notes

  1. Numerical values given above are approximate.
  2. Brightness values are all compared to the brightest "fixed" star Sirius (Brightest Value = 1).
  3. NAKED EYE PLANETS shown in BOLD CAPITAL LETTERS; other planets in CAPITAL LETTERS.
  4. Polaris (The North Star) ranks as approximately 50th brightest star, about 25 times fainter than Sirius!
  5. Naked eye limits assume no moonlight and also depend on sky conditions, individual's age, health, etc.
  6. About 1,500 to 2,000 stars are visible at any one time for naked eye rural limit (about magnitude +6½).
  7. Actually about 10,000 stars are brighter than naked eye rural limit but not all are visible at the same time.
  8. Uranus and the four Galilean Satellites are not considered naked eye objects (superb naked eye vision needed).
  9. Diffuse objects (comets, gas/dust clouds, galaxies, etc.) appear fainter to eye than table suggests.
  10. Alpha Centauri is closest star to Sun; Andromeda Galaxy is one of the most distant naked eye objects.
  11. Magnitude limits for large, research telescopes (last three) given for electronic detection (CCD cameras).
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