wiki Word: Apparent and Absolute Magnitude 

Definition- Apparent magnitude is the brightness of a star based on its distance do too an observer from earth

Defintion- Absolute Magnitude is the actual brightess of a star 

If the definition was a little too technical for Apparent Magnitude, it basically means that if the star is further away than it is not going to be as bright as a star closer too earth based on a person observing the stars from space.

Absolute Manitude is the actual brightness of a star not based on its distance to the earth.

 We need to learn this term because it will tell us if a star is bright because of its closeness or actual brightness.  If a star is just closer and not actually brighter than another star we should know this term to find out if it is actually apparen or absolute. We need to be able to tell. If a star is dull it either doesn't have absolute magnitude or it is very far away.

Affatigato, Mario. Holt Science and Technology. Orlando: Holt , Rinehart and Winston, 2006.

Bombelli, Luca. "Stars: General properties." Phy.olemiss. June 6 2007. University of Mississippi. 29 May 2008 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.phy.olemiss.edu/~luca/astr/Topics-Extrasolar/Images/LuminosityDistance_233x226.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.phy.olemiss.edu/~luca/astr/Topics-Extrasolar/Stars-N.html&h=226&w=233&sz=8&hl=en&start=9&tbnid=Mteg5I2nxIDaFM:&tbnh=106&tbnw=109&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dapparent%2Band%2BAbsolute%2BMagnitude%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive>.