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The zero point is used to calibrate a system to the standard magnitude system, as the flux detected from stars will vary from detector to detector. [2] Traditionally, Vega is used as the calibration star for the zero point magnitude in specific pass bands (U, B, and V), although often, an average of multiple stars is used for higher accuracy. [3]
The monochromatic AB magnitude is defined as the logarithm of a spectral flux density with the usual scaling of astronomical magnitudes and a zero-point of about 3 631 janskys (symbol Jy), [1] where 1 Jy = 10 −26 W Hz −1 m −2 = 10 −23 erg s −1 Hz −1 cm −2 ("about" because the true definition of the zero point is based on magnitudes as shown below).
Therefore, the magnitude m, in the spectral band x, would be given by = (,), which is more commonly expressed in terms of common (base-10) logarithms as = (,), where F x is the observed irradiance using spectral filter x, and F x,0 is the reference flux (zero-point) for that photometric filter.
For objects within the immediate neighborhood of the Sun, the absolute magnitude M and apparent magnitude m from any distance d (in parsecs, with 1 pc = 3.2616 light-years) are related by = = (), where F is the radiant flux measured at distance d (in parsecs), F 10 the radiant flux measured at distance 10 pc.
The vector approach defines flux density as a vector at a point of space and time prescribed by the investigator. To distinguish this approach, one might speak of the 'full spherical flux density'. In this case, nature tells the investigator what is the magnitude, direction, and sense of the flux density at the prescribed point.
The bolometric correction scale is set by the absolute magnitude of the Sun and an adopted (arbitrary) absolute bolometric magnitude for the Sun.Hence, while the absolute magnitude of the Sun in different filters is a physical and not arbitrary quantity, the absolute bolometric magnitude of the Sun is arbitrary, and so the zero-point of the bolometric correction scale that follows from it.
Visulization of flux through differential area and solid angle. As always ^ is the unit normal to the incident surface A, = ^, and ^ is a unit vector in the direction of incident flux on the area element, θ is the angle between them.
The flux density in janskys can be converted to a magnitude basis, for suitable assumptions about the spectrum. For instance, converting an AB magnitude to a flux density in microjanskys is straightforward: [ 4 ] S v [ μ Jy ] = 10 6 ⋅ 10 23 ⋅ 10 − AB + 48.6 2.5 = 10 23.9 − AB 2.5 . {\displaystyle S_{v}~[\mathrm {\mu } {\text{Jy}}]=10 ...