Luminosity articles

What does it mean when a star is big and bright?

The appearance of a star that seems overwhelmingly bright and noticeably larger than its neighbors in the night sky is o...

What is the peak luminosity of a supernova?

A stellar explosion marks one of the most dramatic events in the cosmos, a momentary blaze that can dwarf the collective...

How bright can a supernova get?

The spectacle of a dying star culminates in an event of such colossal energy release that, for a brief period, its light...