<p><a href="http://www.astro.utu.fi/%7Ecflynn/galdyn/intro_mw.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">This page</a> lists the total luminosity of the Milky Way (MW) Galaxy to be <span class="math-container">$4\times10^{10}$</span> <span class="math-container">$L_{\rm sol}$</span>, and <span class="math-container">$L_{\rm sol}=3.86 \cdot 10^{33} {\rm ergs.sec}^{-1}$</span>; this gives a total luminosity for the MW of <span class="math-container">$1.54\cdot 10^{44}{\rm ergs.sec}^{-1}$</span>.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seyfert_galaxy" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Seyfert galaxies</a> can have luminosities of <span class="math-container">$\sim 10^{40} - 10^{42}{\rm ergs.sec}^{-1}$</span>, and this is due to the high luminosity of the galactic core of a Seyfert.</p>
<p>Since the MW doesn't have an active SMBH, does this mean that the MW is particularly bright due to a high luminosity stellar population? Or am I missing something?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-09T07:20:48.397Z
Seyferts can easily be as or more luminous than the Milky Way.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-09T10:09:46.907Z
Yeah, I know, and that's my point; shouldn't the MW be less luminous than Seyferts? Sorry if I didn't make that clear.
Jim421616
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-09T12:30:42.173Z
So what you may have missed is a reliable source of Seyfert luminosities, since I don't recognise your range.
ProfRob
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-15T10:50:50.517Z
[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seyfert_galaxy) says that "Seyfert galaxies  [...] luminosities ranging between $10^8$ and $10^{11}$ solar luminosities." not quite the range stated in the question - what am I missing?
B--rian
<galaxy><milky-way><luminosity><seyfert-galaxy>
Luminosity of the Milky Way compared to Seyfert galaxies
Jim421616
# Luminosity of the Milky Way compared to Seyfert galaxies

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-08)

[This page](http://www.astro.utu.fi/%7Ecflynn/galdyn/intro_mw.html) lists the total luminosity of the Milky Way (MW) Galaxy to be $4\times10^{10}$ $L\_{\rm sol}$, and $L\_{\rm sol}=3.86 \cdot 10^{33} {\rm ergs.sec}^{-1}$; this gives a total luminosity for the MW of $1.54\cdot 10^{44}{\rm ergs.sec}^{-1}$.

But [Seyfert galaxies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seyfert_galaxy) can have luminosities of $\sim 10^{40} - 10^{42}{\rm ergs.sec}^{-1}$, and this is due to the high luminosity of the galactic core of a Seyfert.

Since the MW doesn't have an active SMBH, does this mean that the MW is particularly bright due to a high luminosity stellar population? Or am I missing something?

**Tags:** galaxy, milky-way, luminosity, seyfert-galaxy

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Seyferts can easily be as or more luminous than the Milky Way.  
> **username_0**: Yeah, I know, and that's my point; shouldn't the MW be less luminous than Seyferts? Sorry if I didn't make that clear.  
> **username_1**: So what you may have missed is a reliable source of Seyfert luminosities, since I don't recognise your range.  
> **username_2**: [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seyfert_galaxy) says that "Seyfert galaxies  [...] luminosities ranging between $10^8$ and $10^{11}$ solar luminosities." not quite the range stated in the question - what am I missing?  

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## 0 answers

