Magnitude refers to the size or extent of something, often used to describe how powerful or significant an event is. For example, in the context of earthquakes, the Richter scale measures the magnitude of seismic activity, indicating how much energy is released during an earthquake. A higher magnitude means a stronger earthquake, which can lead to more damage and destruction. In astronomy, magnitude describes the brightness of celestial objects like stars and planets. The apparent magnitude measures how bright an object appears from Earth, while absolute magnitude indicates how bright it would be at a standard distance. Understanding magnitude helps us appreciate the scale of both natural events and the universe.