Calculating Luminosity from Brightness: Where Did I Go Wrong?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the luminosity of Gliese 581 using its brightness and the equation F = (L/(4*pi*r^2)). The user has the flux value as 11.6 but is unsure of its units, which is crucial for accurate calculations. It is pointed out that the flux must be in watts per square meter (W/m²) for the equation to work properly. The user seeks guidance on converting the absolute brightness of 11.6 into the correct flux units. Clarifying the units is essential for arriving at the correct luminosity value.
bearsfan654
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Hello,

I've been trying to solve for the luminosity of Gliese 581 using its brightness. I've been using the equation below:

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F = (L/(4*pi*r^2))

I have the flux as the absolute brightness of Gliese 581, which is 11.6. The distance, r, to the star is 1.89210568 × 10^17 meters. However, when I input all of that into the equation, I get 5.21 * 10^36 watts. That does not seem even close to the correct answer, which should be about 6.38 * 10^24 watts. What did I do wrong?
 
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bearsfan654 said:
F = (L/(4*pi*r^2)) I have the flux as the absolute brightness of Gliese 581, which is 11.6.
In which units?
bearsfan654 said:
The distance, r, to the star is 1.89210568 × 10^17 meters. However, when I input all of that into the equation, I get 5.21 * 10^36 watts. That does not seem even close to the correct answer, which should be about 6.38 * 10^24 watts. What did I do wrong?
You need F in units if W/mˇ2
How do you get that?
Because that "absolute brightness 11,6" is in different units - not W/m2.
 
How can I convert the absolute brightness of 11.6 into flux?
 
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