What is the significance of a 5.0 mW Point Light Source?

[pardesi]

what do we mean when we say a point light source is $$5.0 mW$$

 

[mgb_phys]

That is an energy - so not very useful, unless it means 5.0mJ/s ie 5milliWatts.

In astronomy it could be a typo for mJy = milli Jansky bit this isn't commonly used for visible light

 

[pardesi]

sorry that was watt.

 

[Shooting Star]

It's not energy, it's power. It means the light source is giving out energy at the rate of 5 J/s.