How can I calculate the visual magnitude of a star with only its flux data?

AI Thread Summary
To calculate the visual magnitude of a star using only its flux, the equation ma - mb = -2.5 log10(Fa/Fb) is essential, where Fa is the flux of the star and Fb is a reference flux. It is not valid to directly use ma = -2.5 log10(Fa) without a reference value for Fb, which should be based on a standard scale. Reference values for magnitude can be found in reliable sources, but not solely on Wikipedia. Accessing a library or a textbook is recommended for accurate reference values. Properly determining these values is crucial for accurate calculations in astrophysics.
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How to calculate the visual magnitude of a star having only the flux of such star?
The equation involves 2 magnitudes and 2 fluxes, corresponding to 2 objects a and b:

ma-mb= -2.5log10\left( \frac{F_a}{F_b}\right)

but I just have Fa and I have to obtain ma.

Is it valid to take ma=-2.5log10 Fa?
 
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Ok, but in that table the values for "m" don't appear, only the fluxes :-s
 
Ok, but in that table the values for "m" don't appear
... yes they do: right at the top of the 4th and 5th columns where it says "m=0". But you can use any reference values that make sense in terms of your coursework.
Specifically: you should not get your reference-values off wikipedia. You must have access to a library or a textbook or something like that?
In a pinch - go to wikipedias primary source.
 
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