Scientific Ontology

L

Relativity

Luminosity

Total power radiated by a star or other astronomical source.

watt (W)

Dimension: $[\,M L^2 T^{-3}\,]$

How values of luminosity span the physical world (in W, log scale).

Sun

3.83 × 10²⁶ W

Betelgeuse

10³¹ W

Lower limit10²² WUpper limit10⁴⁰ W

Stellar Luminosity (sphere)

L = 4\pi r^2 \sigma T^4

Intensity at a Distance

I = \dfrac{L}{4\pi d^2}