Absolute Magnitude of the Sun in Several Bands

These calculations use the solar spectrum available at the CALSPEC database at STScI and the Model Atmosphere of Vega calculated by Kurucz, which is distributed with the Bruzual and Charlot 2003 galaxy spectral evolution code.

The procedure followed very closely Fukugita, Shimasaku and Ichikawa, 1995, PASP, 105, 945 using filter curves coming from a variety of sources, many of them referenced in that work.

The solar absolute magnitudes for U,B,V,R,I,J,H,K were calibrated against the values of Binney and Merrifield 1998, Galactic Astronomy, Table 2.1 (page 53), assuming Bessell filters. The offsets were used to calibrate the entire set of filters. Some values need checking - particularly those using UV filters (FOCA and Galex).

Filter B&M here difference
U 5.61 5.56 0.05
B 5.48 5.45 0.03
V 4.83 4.80 0.03
R 4.42 4.46 -0.04
I 4.08 4.10 -0.02
J 3.64 3.66 -0.02
H 3.32 3.32 0.00
K 3.28 3.28 0.00
with a dispersion of 0.03 magnitudes.

The SDSS filters shown here come from two different sources. The "primed" system is that used by the USNO 40-in Photometric Telescope. However, the 2.5 telescope (which is the Survey instrument) has slightly different bandpasses, which are represented as the unprimed system. (Further information about this can be seen at the SDSS flux calibration page). Because of the emphasis in galaxy work, the unprimed filters were further shifted to z=0.1 to compare with the Solar absolute magnitudes used by Blanton et al. 2003, ApJ, 592, 819. There is a systematic difference of about 0.1 magnitudes between Blanton et al. and here.

Filter Blanton et al. here difference
u,0.1 6.80 6.75 0.05
g,0.1 5.45 5.33 0.12
r,0.1 4.76 4.67 0.09
i,0.1 4.58 4.48 0.10
z,0.1 4.51 4.42 0.09

# filter Vega ABApparent AB mag of Vega
1 Buser U 5.58 6.32 -26.00 0.74
2 Azusienis Straizys B 5.47 5.36 -26.11 -0.11
3 Azusienis Straizys V 4.79 4.79 -26.79 0.00
4 Bessell R 4.46 4.65 -27.12 0.19
5 Bessell I 4.10 4.55 -27.48 0.45
6 F300W 6.16 7.52 -25.42 1.36
7 F450W 5.31 5.22 -26.27 -0.09
8 F555W 4.83 4.83 -26.75 0.00
9 F606W 4.64 4.74 -26.95 0.10
10 F702W 4.31 4.58 -27.27 0.27
11 F814W 4.14 4.57 -27.44 0.43
12 CFHT U 5.57 6.38 -26.01 0.81
13 CFHT B 5.49 5.32 -26.09 -0.17
14 CFHT V 4.81 4.81 -26.77 0.00
15 CFHT R 4.44 4.64 -27.14 0.20
16 CFHT I 4.05 4.53 -27.53 0.48
17 KPNO U 5.59 6.31 -25.99 0.71
18 KPNO B 5.48 5.40 -26.10 -0.08
19 KPNO V 4.78 4.79 -26.80 0.00
20 KPNO R 4.46 4.65 -27.12 0.19
21 KPNO I 4.10 4.55 -27.48 0.45
22 Koo & Kron U 5.58 6.29 -26.01 0.72
23 Koo & Kron J 5.32 5.26 -26.26 -0.06
24 Koo & Kron F 4.58 4.69 -27.00 0.11
25 Koo & Kron N 4.11 4.53 -27.48 0.43
26 SDSS u' 5.46 6.44 -26.13 0.98
27 SDSS g' 5.21 5.11 -26.37 -0.10
28 SDSS r' 4.50 4.65 -27.08 0.15
29 SDSS i' 4.16 4.54 -27.42 0.38
30 SDSS z' 3.99 4.52 -27.59 0.53
31 ACS old z 3.98 4.52 -27.60 0.54
32 FIS555 4.82 4.83 -26.76 0.00
33 FIS606 4.60 4.71 -26.98 0.10
34 FIS702 4.31 4.58 -27.27 0.27
35 FIS814 4.11 4.53 -27.48 0.43
36 LRIS B 5.46 5.39 -26.12 -0.07
37 LRIS V 4.82 4.82 -26.76 0.00
38 LRIS R 4.45 4.63 -27.13 0.18
39 LRIS Rs 4.33 4.59 -27.26 0.26
40 LRIS I 4.03 4.53 -27.55 0.50
41 LRIS Z 3.99 4.52 -27.59 0.53
42 SPH Un 5.43 6.48 -26.16 1.05
43 SPH G 5.21 5.10 -26.37 -0.11
44 SPH Rs 4.39 4.61 -27.19 0.22
45 12k B 5.45 5.32 -26.13 -0.13
46 12k R 4.38 4.60 -27.20 0.22
47 12k I 4.08 4.53 -27.50 0.45
48 12k V 4.85 4.84 -26.73 -0.01
49 uh8K i 4.05 4.53 -27.53 0.47
50 ACS B435 5.49 5.38 -26.09 -0.11
51 ACS V606 4.64 4.73 -26.94 0.09
52 ACS SDSS i 4.14 4.54 -27.44 0.40
53 ACS I814 4.10 4.53 -27.49 0.44
54 ACS SDSS z 3.99 4.52 -27.59 0.54
55 Bessell U 5.56 6.34 -26.03 0.79
56 Bessell B 5.45 5.33 -26.14 -0.11
57 Bessell V 4.80 4.81 -26.78 0.01
58 Bessell J 3.66 4.57 -27.93 0.91
59 Bessell H 3.33 4.71 -28.26 1.39
60 Bessell K 3.28 5.19 -28.30 1.92
61 KPNO J 3.65 4.57 -27.93 0.92
62 KPNO H 3.32 4.72 -28.26 1.39
63 KPNO K 3.28 5.19 -28.30 1.91
64 2500 8.14 9.77 -23.44 1.63
65 2800 6.76 8.21 -24.82 1.45
66 APM Bj 5.27 5.18 -26.31 -0.09
67 FOCA UV 10.63 12.35 -20.95 1.73
68 DEIMOS R 4.43 4.62 -27.15 0.19
69 Galex FUV 13.87 16.02 -17.72 2.16
70 Galex NUV 8.52 10.18 -23.06 1.67
71 SDSS u 5.82 6.75 -25.76 0.93
72 SDSS g 5.44 5.33 -26.15 -0.10
73 SDSS r 4.52 4.67 -27.06 0.15
74 SDSS i 4.11 4.48 -27.47 0.37
75 SDSS z 3.89 4.42 -27.70 0.53
76 NIRI J 3.63 4.57 -27.95 0.94
77 NIRI H 3.33 4.71 -28.26 1.39
78 NIRI K 3.28 5.19 -28.30 1.91
79 NIC3 J110 3.80 4.55 -27.78 0.75
80 NIC3 H160 3.36 4.69 -28.22 1.34

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Last modified: Tue Nov 8 14:18:22 2005