Photometric-standard stars are a series of stars that have had their light output in various passbands of photometric system, measured very carefully. Other objects can be observed using CCD cameras or photoelectric photometers connected to a telescope, and the flux, or amount of light received, can be compared to a photometric-standard star to determine the exact brightness, or stellar magnitude, of the object.
The current set of photometric-standard stars for UBVRI photometry most often used by astronomers is that published by Arlo U. Landolt in 1992 in the Astronomical Journal, vol. 104, no. 1, p. 340-371.
Famous quotes containing the word star:
“The star is the ultimate American verification of Jean Jacques Rousseau’s Emile. His mere existence proves the perfectability of any man or woman. Oh wonderful pliability of human nature, in a society where anyone can become a celebrity! And where any celebrity ... may become a star!”
—Daniel J. Boorstin (b. 1914)