Absolute magnitude is a measure of the intrinsic brightness of a celestial object, such as a star, galaxy, or asteroid, as it would appear if observed from a standard distance of 10 parsecs (about 32.6 light-years). Unlike apparent magnitude, which measures how bright an object appears from Earth, absolute magnitude eliminates the effect of distance, allowing astronomers to compare the true luminosities of objects. A lower absolute magnitude indicates a brighter object, while a higher number signifies a dimmer one. It provides a way to understand the actual energy output of stars and other celestial bodies.