View source for Orders of magnitude (power)

{{Short description|Comparison of a wide range of physical powers}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2020}}
This page lists examples of the [[power (physics)|power]] in [[watt]]s produced by various sources of [[energy]]. They are grouped by '''[[Order of magnitude|orders of magnitude]]''' from small to large.

== Below 1 W ==
{{See also|dBm#Table_of_Examples}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Factor ([[watt]]s)
! [[International System of Units|SI]] [[SI prefix|prefix]]
! Value ([[watt]]s)
!Value [[DBm|(decibel-milliwatts)]]
! Item
|-
|10<sup>−50</sup>
|
|5.4 × 10<sup>−50</sup>
|−463 dBm
|''astro:'' Hawking radiation power of the ultramassive black hole [[TON 618]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ge |first1=Xue |last2=Zhao |first2=Bi-Xuan |last3=Bian |first3=Wei-Hao |last4=Frederick |first4=Green Richard |date=March 2019 |title=The Blueshift of the C iv Broad Emission Line in QSOs |journal=The Astronomical Journal |language=en |volume=157 |issue=4 |pages=148 |doi=10.3847/1538-3881/ab0956 |doi-access=free |arxiv=1903.08830 |bibcode=2019AJ....157..148G |issn=1538-3881}}</ref><ref>Calculated using M_BH = 4.07e+10 M_sol.</ref>
|-
| '''10<sup>−27</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-27}}
| '''[[ronto-]] (rW)'''
| 1.64{{e|-27}}
|−238 dBm
| ''phys:'' approximate power of [[Gravitational wave|gravitational radiation]] emitted by a 1000&nbsp;kg satellite in [[geosynchronous orbit]] around the Earth.
|-
| '''10<sup>−24</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-24}}
| '''[[yocto-]] (yW)'''
|1{{e|-24}}
|−210 dBm
|
|-
| '''10<sup>−21</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-21}}
| '''{{nowrap|[[zepto-]] (zW)}}'''
| 1{{e|-21}}
|−180 dBm
|''biomed:'' approximate lowest recorded power consumption of a deep-subsurface marine microbe<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/karen_lloyd_this_deep_sea_mystery_is_changing_our_understanding_of_life/transcript?language=en|title=Transcript of "This deep-sea mystery is changing our understanding of life"|date=February 6, 2018 }}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>−20</sup>
|
|1{{e|-20}}
|−170 dBm
|''tech:'' approximate power of [[Galileo probe|Galileo space probe's]] radio signal (when at [[Jupiter]]) as received on earth by a 70-meter [[Deep Space Network|DSN]] antenna.
|-
|'''10<sup>−18</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-18}}
| '''[[atto-]] (aW)'''
|1{{e|-18}}
|−150 dBm
|''phys:'' approximate power scale at which operation of [[nanoelectromechanical systems]] are overwhelmed by [[thermal fluctuation]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Nanoelectromechanical systems face the future |url=http://physicsweb.org/article/world/14/2/8 |journal=Physics World |date=February 1, 2001 }}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>−16</sup>
|
|1{{e|-16}}
|−130 dBm
|''tech:'' the [[GPS signal]] strength measured at the surface of the Earth.{{clarify| reason = this appears to be meaningless unless one also knows the area over which it is measured|date=February 2011}}<ref>{{cite web|title=GPS Spoofing Countermeasures |first1=Jon S |last1=Warner |first2=Roger G |last2=Johnston |url=http://www.homelandsecurity.org/bulletin/Dual%20Benefit/warner_gps_spoofing.html |date=December 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207185107/http://www.homelandsecurity.org/bulletin/Dual%20Benefit/warner_gps_spoofing.html |archive-date=February 7, 2012}} (This article was originally published as Los Alamos research paper [http://permalink.lanl.gov/object/tr?what=info:lanl-repo/lareport/LA-UR-03-6163 LAUR-03-6163])</ref>
|-
|10<sup>−16</sup>
|
|2{{e|-16}}
|−127 dBm
|''biomed:'' approximate theoretical minimum luminosity detectable by the [[human eye]] under perfect conditions
|-
|'''10<sup>−15</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-15}}
|'''[[femto-]] (fW)'''
|2.5{{e|-15}}
|−116 dBm
|''tech:'' minimum discernible signal at the antenna terminal of a good [[FM broadcasting|FM]] radio receiver
|-
|10<sup>−14</sup>
|
|1{{e|-14}}
|−110 dBm
|''tech:'' approximate lower limit of power reception on digital [[spread-spectrum]] cell phones
|-
|'''10<sup>−12</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-12}}
|'''[[pico-]] (pW)'''
|1{{e|-12}}
|−90 dBm
|''biomed:'' average power consumption of a human [[cell (biology)|cell]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |10<sup>−11</sup>
| rowspan="2" |
|1.84{{e|-11}}
|−77 dBm
|''phys:'' power lost in the form of [[Synchrotron radiation#Synchrotron radiation from accelerators|synchrotron radiation]] by a proton revolving in the [[Large Hadron Collider]] at 7000 GeV<ref name="LHC">[[CERN]]. [https://edms.cern.ch/file/445830/5/Vol_1_Chapter_2.pdf Beam Parameters and Definitions".] Table 2.2. Retrieved September 13, 2008</ref>
|-
|2.9{{e|-11}}
|−72 dBm
|''astro:'' power per square meter received from [[Proxima Centauri]], the closest star known
|-
| rowspan="2" |10<sup>−10</sup>
| rowspan="2" |
|1{{e|-10}}
|−68 dBm
|''astro:'' estimated total Hawking radiation power of all black holes in the observable universe.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-06 |title=HubbleSite: Black Holes: Gravity's Relentless Pull interactive: Encyclopedia |url=https://www.stsci.edu/~marel/black_holes/encyc_mod3_q7.html |access-date=2024-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106090830/https://www.stsci.edu/~marel/black_holes/encyc_mod3_q7.html |archive-date=January 6, 2024 }}</ref><ref>10 M_sol BH Hawking radiation power: https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=hawking+radiation+calculate&assumption=%7B%22FS%22%7D+-%3E+%7B%7B%22BlackHoleHawkingRadiationPower%22%2C+%22P%22%7D%2C+%7B%22BlackHoleHawkingRadiationPower%22%2C+%22M%22%7D%7D&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22BlackHoleHawkingRadiationPower%22%2C+%22M%22%7D+-%3E%2210*solar+mass%22</ref><ref>Fermi estimate: Mass of observable universe / mass of Milky Way ≈ 1e+12. Number of stars in the Milky Way ≈ 1e+11. Proportion of stars that evolve into a black hole ≈ 1e-3. Hawking radiation power of a 10 Solar mass black hole: ≈ 1e-30 W. 12 + 11 - 3 - 30 = 23 - 30  =  –10.</ref>
|-
|1.5{{e|-10}}
|−68 dBm
|''biomed:'' power entering a [[human eye]] from a 100-watt lamp 1&nbsp;[[km]] away
|-
|'''10<sup>−9</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-9}}
|'''[[nano-]] (nW)'''
|2–15{{e|-9}}
|−57 dBm to −48 dBm
|''tech:'' power consumption of 8-bit [[PIC microcontroller]] chips when in "sleep" mode
|-
|rowspan=2|'''10<sup>−6</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-6}}
|rowspan=2|'''[[micro-]] (μW)'''
|1{{e|-6}}
|−30 dBm
|''tech:'' approximate consumption of a [[quartz]] or mechanical [[wristwatch]]
|-
|3{{e|-6}}
|−25 dBm
|''astro:'' [[cosmic microwave background radiation]] per square meter
|-
|10<sup>−5</sup>
|
|5{{e|-5}}
|−13 dBm
|''biomed:'' sound power incident on a human [[eardrum]] at the threshold intensity for [[pain]] (500&nbsp;mW/m<sup>2</sup>).
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''10<sup>−3</sup>'''{{Anchor|10-3}}
| rowspan="3" |'''[[milli-]] (mW)'''
|1.55{{e|-3}}
|−4.7 dBm
|''astro:'' power per square meter received from the Sun by Sedna at its aphelion
|-
|5{{e|-3}}
|7 dBm
|''tech:'' [[laser]] in a [[CD-ROM]] drive
|-
|5–10{{e|-3}}
|7 dBm to 10 dBm
|''tech:'' laser in a [[DVD player]]
|-
|10<sup>−2</sup>{{Anchor|10-2}}
|[[centi-]] (cW)
|7{{e|-2}}
|18 dBm
|''tech:'' antenna power in a typical consumer [[wireless router]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |10<sup>−1</sup>{{Anchor|10-1}}
| rowspan="2" |[[deci-]] (dW)
|1.2{{e|-1}}
|21 dBm
|''astro:'' total proton decay power of Earth, assuming the half life of protons to take on the value 10<sup>35</sup> years.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Nath |first1=Pran |last2=Perez |first2=Pavel Fileviez |date=April 2007 |title=Proton stability in grand unified theories, in strings, and in branes |journal=Physics Reports |volume=441 |issue=5–6 |pages=191–317 |doi=10.1016/j.physrep.2007.02.010|arxiv=hep-ph/0601023 |bibcode=2007PhR...441..191N |s2cid=119542637 }}</ref><ref>Calculated: https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=earth+mass%2Fproton+mass*ln2%2F%281e35+year%29*proton+mass*c%5E2</ref>
|-
|5{{e|-1}}
|27 dBm
|''tech:'' maximum allowed carrier output power of an [[Family Radio Service|FRS]] radio
|}

==1 to 10<sup>2</sup> W==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Factor ([[watt]]s)
! [[International System of Units|SI]] [[SI prefix|prefix]]
! Value ([[watt]]s)
! Item
|-
| rowspan="7" |'''10<sup>0</sup>'''
| rowspan="7" |'''W'''
|1
|''tech:'' cellphone camera light<ref>{{cite web |title=EETimes - Driving LED lighting in mobile phones and PDAs |url=https://www.eetimes.com/driving-led-lighting-in-mobile-phones-and-pdas |website=EETimes |access-date=2 December 2021 |date=12 June 2008}}</ref>
|-
|1.508
|''astro:'' power per square metre received from the [[Sun]] at [[Neptune]]'s [[aphelion]]<ref>{{cite web |title= Solar irradiance (W/m<sup>2</sup>), Bulk Parameters, Neptune Fact Sheet, NASA NSSDCA |url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/neptunefact.html |website=NASA GSFC |access-date=8 June 2022 |date=23 Dec 2021}}</ref>
|-
|2
|''tech:'' maximum allowed carrier power output of a [[Multi-Use Radio Service|MURS]] radio
|-
|4
|''tech:'' the power consumption of an [[incandescent]] [[night light]]
|-
|4
|''tech:'' maximum allowed carrier power output of a 10-meter [[citizens' band radio|CB]] radio
|-
|7
|''tech:'' the power consumption of a typical [[Light-emitting diode]] (LED) light bulb
|-
|8
|''tech:'' [[human-powered equipment]] using a hand [[Crank (mechanism)|crank]].<!--page 4--><ref>[http://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a433537.pdf dtic.mil – harvesting energy with hand-crank generators to support dismounted soldier missions], 2004-12-xx</ref>
|-
|rowspan=4|10<sup>1</sup>{{Anchor|101}}
|rowspan=4|[[deca-]] (daW)
|1.4 × 10<sup>1</sup>
|''tech:'' the power consumption of a typical household [[compact fluorescent light bulb]]
|-
|2–4 × 10<sup>1</sup>
|''biomed:'' approximate power consumption of the [[human brain]]<ref>{{cite web|author=Glenn Elert |url=http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/JacquelineLing.shtml |title=Power of a Human Brain - The Physics Factbook |publisher=Hypertextbook.com |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|3–4 × 10<sup>1</sup>
|''tech:'' the power consumption of a typical household fluorescent [[tube light]]
|-
|6 × 10<sup>1</sup>
|''tech:'' the power consumption of a typical household [[incandescent light bulb]]
|-
| rowspan="12" |10<sup>2</sup>{{Anchor|102}}
| rowspan="12" |[[hecto-]] (hW)
|1 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''biomed:'' approximate [[basal metabolic rate]] of an [[adult]] [[human body]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gearypacific.com/ComfortZone/14%20The%20People%20Load.pdf |access-date=March 17, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217040211/http://www.gearypacific.com/ComfortZone/14%20The%20People%20Load.pdf |archive-date=December 17, 2008 |title=The Comfort Zone |author=Maury Tiernan |publisher=Geary Pacific Corporation|date=November 1997}}</ref>
|-
|1.2 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''tech:'' electric power output of {{nowrap|1 m<sup>2</sup>}} [[photovoltaic module|solar panel]] in full [[solar power|sunlight]] (approx. 12% efficiency), at sea level
|-
|1.3 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''tech:'' peak power consumption of a [[Pentium 4]] CPU
|-
|2 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''tech:'' [[stationary bicycle]] average power output<ref>[http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/pedal-a-watt-stationary-bicycle-generator/ alternative-energy-news.info – The Pedal-A-Watt Stationary Bicycle Generator], January 11, 2010</ref><ref>[http://www.econvergence.net/The-Pedal-A-Watt-Bicycle-Generator-Stand-s/1820.htm econvergence.net – The Pedal-A-Watt Bicycle Generator Stand Buy one or build with detailed plans.], 2012</ref>
|-
|2.76 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''astro:'' fusion power output of 1 cubic meter of volume of the Sun's core.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Is the power output at the core of the sun about the same as a compost pile (about 300 watts)? |url=https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/51317/is-the-power-output-at-the-core-of-the-sun-about-the-same-as-a-compost-pile-abo |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=Astronomy Stack Exchange |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|2.9 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''units:'' approximately 1000 [[BTU]]/hour
|-
|3 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''tech:'' [[personal computer|PC]] [[Graphics processing unit|GPU]] [[RTX 4080|Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080]] peak power consumption<ref>{{cite web |last=Hagedoorn |first=Hilbert |date=November 15, 2022 |title=GeForce RTX 4080 Founder edition review - Hardware setup {{!}} Power consumption |url=https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/geforce-rtx-4080-founder-edition-review,6.html |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=Guru3D.com |publisher=Guru3D}}</ref>
|-
|4 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''tech:'' legal limit of power output of an [[amateur radio]] station in the United Kingdom
|-
|5 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''biomed:'' power output (useful work plus heat) of a person working hard physically
|-
|{{nowrap|7.457 × 10<sup>2</sup>}}
|''units:'' 1 [[horsepower]]<ref>{{Cite book|title = DOE Fundamentals Handbook, Classical Physics|publisher = USDOE|year = 1992|pages = CP–05, Page 9|osti = 10170060}}</ref>
|-
|7.5 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''astro:'' approximately the amount of [[sunlight]] falling on a square metre of the [[Earth's surface]] at noon on a clear day in March for northern temperate [[latitude]]s
|-
|9.09 × 10<sup>2</sup>
|''biomed'': peak output power of a healthy human (non-athlete) during a 30-second [[Bicycle|cycle]] sprint at 30.1 degree Celsius.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Ball|first=D|author2=Burrows C |author3=Sargeant AJ |date=March 1999|title=Human power output during repeated sprint cycle exercise: the influence of thermal stress|journal=Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. |volume=79|issue=4|pages=360–6|pmid=10090637 |doi=10.1007/s004210050521|s2cid=9825954}}</ref>
|}

==10<sup>3</sup> to 10<sup>8</sup> W==
{|class="wikitable
|-
|rowspan=8|'''10<sup>3</sup>'''{{Anchor|103}}
|rowspan=8|'''[[kilo-]] (kW)'''
|1–3 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''tech:'' heat output of a domestic [[electric kettle]]
|-
|1.1 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''tech:'' power of a [[microwave oven]]
|-
|1.366 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''astro:'' power per square meter received from the [[Sun]] at the [[Earth's orbit]]
|-
|1.5 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''tech:'' legal limit of power output of an [[amateur radio]] station in the United States
|-
|up to 2 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''biomed:'' approximate short-time power output of [[Sprint (track cycling)|sprinting]] professional cyclists and [[weightlifters]] doing [[snatch (weightlifting)|snatch]] lifts
|-
|2.4 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''geo:'' average power consumption per person worldwide in 2008 (21,283 [[Kilowatt-hour#Distinction between kWh (energy) and kW (power)|kWh/year]])
|-
|3.3–6.6 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''eco:'' average [[photosynthetic]] power output per square kilometer of ocean<ref name="fao.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/w7241e/w7241e05.htm |title=Chapter 1 - Biological energy production |publisher=Fao.org |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|3.6 × 10<sup>3</sup> W
|''tech:'' [[synchrotron radiation]] power lost per ring in the [[Large Hadron Collider]] at 7000 GeV<ref name="LHC"/>
|-
|rowspan=8|10<sup>4</sup>
|rowspan=8|
|1–5 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''tech:'' [[nominal power]] of [[clear-channel station|clear channel]] [[AM radio|AM]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/am-clear-regional-local-channels|title=AM Station Classes, and Clear, Regional, and Local Channels|date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
|-
|1.00 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''eco:'' average power consumption per person in the United States in 2008 (87,216 [[Kilowatt-hour#Distinction between kWh (energy) and kW (power)|kWh/year]])
|-
|1.4 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''tech:'' average power consumption of an electric car on [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|EPA]]'s Highway test schedule<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml|title=Detailed Fuel Economy Test Information|publisher=EPA|access-date=2019-02-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/download.shtml|title=Fuel Economy Data|publisher=EPA|access-date=2019-02-17}}</ref>
|-
|1.45 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''astro:'' power per square metre received from the [[Sun]] at [[Mercury (planet)|Mercury]]'s orbit at [[perihelion]]
|-
|1.6–3.2 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''eco:'' average photosynthetic power output per square kilometer of [[landform|land]]<ref name="fao.org"/>
|-
|3 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''tech:'' power generated by the four motors of [[GEN H-4]] one-man [[helicopter]]
|-
|4–20 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''tech:'' approximate range of peak power output of typical [[automobile]]s (50-250 [[Horsepower|hp]])
|-
|5–10 × 10<sup>4</sup> W
|''tech:'' highest allowed [[effective radiated power|ERP]] for an [[FM band]] radio station in the United States<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/fm-station-classes|title=FM Broadcast Station Classes and Service Contours|date=December 11, 2015}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=3|10<sup>5</sup>
|rowspan=3|
|1.67 × 10<sup>5</sup> W
|''tech:'' power consumption of [[UNIVAC 1]] computer
|-
|2.5–8 × 10<sup>5</sup> W
|''tech:'' approximate range of power output of '[[supercar]]s' (300 to 1000 [[Horsepower|hp]])
|-
|4.5 × 10<sup>5</sup> W
|''tech:'' approximate maximum power output of a large [[18-wheeler]] truck engine (600 [[Horsepower|hp]])
|-
| rowspan="9" |'''10<sup>6</sup>'''{{Anchor|106}}
| rowspan="9" |'''[[mega-]] (MW)'''
|1.3 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' power output of [[P-51 Mustang]] fighter aircraft
|-
|1.9 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''astro:'' power per square meter potentially received by Earth at the peak of the Sun's red giant phase
|-
|2.0 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' peak power output of [[GE Energy|GE]]'s standard wind turbine
|-
|2.4 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' peak power output of a [[LMS Coronation Class|Princess Coronation]] class steam locomotive (approx 3.3K EDHP on test) (1937)
|-
|2.5 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''biomed:'' peak power output of a [[blue whale]]{{Citation needed|date=September 2024|reason=Lack of reliable source}}
|-
|3 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' mechanical power output of a diesel [[locomotive]]
|-
|4.4 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' total mechanical power output of Titanic's coal-fueled steam engines<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-08 |title=The Titanic's engine was a pretty marvelous innovation |url=https://www.themanual.com/culture/how-the-titanic-engine-worked/ |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=The Manual |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|7 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' mechanical power output of a [[Top Fuel#Performance|Top Fuel dragster]]
|-
|8 × 10<sup>6</sup> W
|''tech:'' peak power output of the [[Vestas V164|MHI Vestas V164]], the world's largest offshore wind turbine
|-
| rowspan="7" |10<sup>7</sup>
| rowspan="7" |
|1 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''tech:'' highest [[effective radiated power|ERP]] allowed for an [[ultra-high frequency|UHF]] television station
|-
|1.03 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''geo:'' electrical power output of [[Togo]]
|-
|1.22 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''tech:'' approx power available to a [[Eurostar]] 20-carriage train
|-
|1.5 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''tech:'' electrical power consumption of [[Sunway TaihuLight]], the most powerful supercomputer in China
|-
|1.6 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''tech:'' rate at which a typical [[Fuel dispenser|gasoline pump]] transfers chemical energy to a vehicle
|-
|2.6 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''tech:'' peak power output of the reactor of a [[Los Angeles-class submarine|Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine]]
|-
|7.5 × 10<sup>7</sup> W
|''tech:'' maximum power output of one [[GE90]] jet engine as installed on the [[Boeing 777]]
|-
| rowspan="7" |10<sup>8</sup>
| rowspan="7" |
|1.04 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''tech:'' power producing capacity of the [[Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant|Niagara Power Plant]], the first electrical power plant in history
|-
|1.4 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''tech:'' average power consumption of a [[Boeing 747]] passenger aircraft
|-
|1.9 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''tech:'' peak power output of a {{sclass|Nimitz|aircraft carrier}}
|-
|5 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''tech:'' typical power output of a [[fossil fuel power station]]
|-
|9 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''tech:'' electric power output of a [[CANDU]] nuclear reactor
|-
|9.59 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''geo:'' average electrical power consumption of [[Zimbabwe]] in 1998
|-
|9.86 × 10<sup>8</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate solar power received by the dwarf planet [[90377 Sedna|Sedna]] at its aphelion (937 AU)
|}

The productive capacity of electrical generators operated by utility companies is often measured in MW.  Few things can sustain the transfer or consumption of energy on this scale; some of these events or entities include: lightning strikes, naval craft (such as [[aircraft carrier]]s and [[submarine]]s), engineering hardware, and some scientific research equipment (such as [[Large Hadron Collider|supercolliders]] and large [[laser]]s)<!-- black holes, the surface of stars, empty space, the ocean, etc. I don't think the phrase "few things" is meaningful without some qualifier. -->.

For reference, about 10,000 100-watt lightbulbs or 5,000 computer systems would be needed to draw 1&nbsp;MW.  Also, 1 MW is approximately 1360 [[horsepower]]. Modern high-power [[Diesel-electric transmission|diesel-electric]] [[locomotive]]s typically have a peak power of 3–5 MW, while a typical modern [[nuclear power plant]] produces on the order of 500–2000 MW peak output.

==10<sup>9</sup> to 10<sup>14</sup> W==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
| rowspan="7" |'''10<sup>9</sup>'''{{Anchor|109}}
| rowspan="7" |'''[[giga-]] (GW)<!-- This section is linked from [[Brute force attack]] -->'''
|<!-- 1.21 GW – ''scifi:'' electric power output required to operate [[flux capacitor]]
  Not considered appropriate for this page. Since not only the device, but also the physics is fictional, the power required is an arbitrary number and does not provide a helpful comparison with the other entries -->
1.3 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' electric power output of [[Manitoba Hydro]] Limestone [[hydroelectric]] generating station
|-
|2.074 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' peak power generation of [[Hoover Dam]]
|-
|2.1 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' peak power generation of [[Aswan Dam]]
|-
|3.4 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' estimated power consumption of the [[Bitcoin]] network in 2017<ref>{{cite news|author=Alex Hern |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/nov/27/bitcoin-mining-consumes-electricity-ireland |title=Bitcoin mining consumes more electricity a year than Ireland &#124; Technology |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|4.116 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' installed capacity of [[Kendal Power Station]], the world's largest [[Fossil fuel power plant|coal-fired power plant]].
|-
|5.824 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' installed capacity of the [[Taichung Power Plant]], the largest coal-fired power plant in Taiwan and fourth largest of its kind. It was the single most polluting power plant on Earth in 2009.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Grant |first1=Don |last2=Zelinka |first2=David |last3=Mitova |first3=Stefania |date=2021-08-24 |title=Reducing CO<sub>2</sub>emissions by targeting the world's hyper-polluting power plants<sup>*</sup> |url=https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac13f1 |journal=Environmental Research Letters |volume=16 |issue=9 |pages=094022 |doi=10.1088/1748-9326/ac13f1 |issn=1748-9326}}</ref><ref>See bottom half of Table 2: "Top ten polluting power plants in 2018 and 2009"</ref>
|-
|7.965 × 10<sup>9</sup>
|''tech:'' installed capacity of the largest nuclear power plant, the [[Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant]], before it was permanently shut down in the wake of the [[Fukushima nuclear accident|Fukushima nuclear disaster]].
|-
| rowspan="10" |10<sup>10</sup>
| rowspan="10" |
|1.17 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech:'' power produced by the [[Space Shuttle]] in liftoff configuration (9.875 GW from the SRBs; 1.9875 GW from the SSMEs.)<ref>{{cite web|author=Glenn Elert |url=http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/StaverieBoundouris.shtml |title=Power of a Space Shuttle - The Physics Factbook |publisher=Hypertextbook.com |date=2013-02-11 |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|1.26 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech:'' electrical power generation of the [[Itaipu Dam]]
|-
|1.27 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''geo:'' average electrical power consumption of [[Norway]] in 1998
|-
|2.25 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech:'' peak electrical power generation of the [[Three Gorges Dam]], the power plant with the world's largest generating capacity of any type.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-06 |title=The 22.5GW Power Plant - What You Should Know About Three Gorges, China |url=https://blog.isa.org/the-22.5gw-power-plant-what-you-should-know-about-three-gorges-china |access-date=2024-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106071052/https://blog.isa.org/the-22.5gw-power-plant-what-you-should-know-about-three-gorges-china |archive-date=January 6, 2024 }}</ref>
|-
|2.24 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech:'' peak power of all German [[solar panels]] (at noon on a cloudless day), researched by the Fraunhofer ISE research institute in 2014<ref>{{cite web|author=Rachael Black |url=http://richarddawkins.net/2014/06/germany-can-now-produce-half-its-energy-from-solar/ |title=Germany can now produce half its energy from solar &#124; Richard Dawkins Foundation |publisher=Richarddawkins.net |date=2014-06-23 |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|5.027 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech'': peak electrical power consumption of [[California Independent System Operator]] users between 1998 and 2018, recorded at 14:44 [[Pacific Time]], July 24, 2006.<ref name="caiso">{{cite web|url=http://www.caiso.com/Documents/CaliforniaISOPeakLoadHistory.pdf|title=California ISO Peak Load History 1998 through 2018}}</ref>
|-
|5.22 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech'': China total nuclear power capacity as of 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-01-06 |title=PRIS - Miscellaneous reports - Nuclear Share |url=https://pris.iaea.org/pris/worldstatistics/nuclearshareofelectricitygeneration.aspx |access-date=2024-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106100530/https://pris.iaea.org/pris/worldstatistics/nuclearshareofelectricitygeneration.aspx |archive-date=January 6, 2024 }}</ref>
|-
|5.5 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech'': peak daily electrical power consumption of Great Britain in November 2008.<ref name="nationalgrid">{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Data/Realtime/Demand/demand24.htm|title=National Grid electricity consumption statistics|access-date=November 27, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205090334/http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/Data/Realtime/Demand/demand24.htm|archive-date=December 5, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|7.31 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech'': total installed power capacity of [[Turkey]] on December 31, 2015.<ref name="TEIAS">{{cite web|url=http://www.teias.gov.tr/yukdagitim/kuruluguc.xls|title=Turkish Electricity Transmission Company's Installed Capacity Statistics}}</ref>
|-
|9.55 × 10<sup>10</sup>
|''tech'': United States total nuclear power capacity as of 2022.<ref name=":0" />
|-
| rowspan="8" |10<sup>11</sup>
| rowspan="8" |
|{{nowrap|1.016 × 10<sup>11</sup>}}
|''tech:'' peak electrical power consumption of France (February 8, 2012 at 7:00&nbsp;pm)
|-
|1.12 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''tech:'' United States total installed solar capacity as of 2022.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2024-01-04 |title=Yearly electricity data |url=https://ember-climate.org/data-catalogue/yearly-electricity-data/ |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=Ember |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|1.41 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''tech:'' United States total wind turbine capacity in 2022.<ref name=":1" />
|-
|1.66 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''tech:'' average power consumption of the first stage of the [[Saturn V]] rocket.<ref>{{Cite book
  | title = Combustion Science and Engineering
  | first = Kalyan | last = Annamalai |author2=Ishwar Kanwar Puri
   | publisher = CRC Press
  | year = 2006
  | page =  851
  | isbn = 978-0-8493-2071-2
}}</ref><ref name="Calculated">{{cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saturn_v_schematic.jpg |title=File:Saturn v schematic.jpg - Wikimedia Commons |publisher=Commons.wikimedia.org |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|3.66 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''tech:'' China total wind turbine capacity in 2022.<ref name=":1" />
|-
|3.92 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''tech:'' China total installed solar capacity as of 2022.<ref name=":1" />
|-
|7 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''biomed:'' humankind [[basal metabolic rate]] as of 2013 ([[Day of Seven Billion|7 billion people]]).
|-
|8.99 × 10<sup>11</sup>
|''tech:'' worldwide [[wind power|wind turbine capacity]] at end of 2022.<ref name=":1" />
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''10<sup>12</sup>'''{{Anchor|1012}}
| rowspan="3" |'''[[tera-]] (TW)'''
|1.062 × 10<sup>12</sup>
|''tech:'' worldwide installed solar capacity at end of 2022.<ref name=":1" />
|-
|2 × 10<sup>12</sup>
|''astro:'' approximate power generated between the surfaces of [[Jupiter]] and its moon [[Io (moon)|Io]] due to Jupiter's tremendous magnetic field.<ref>[https://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22may_1.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090529042249/http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast22may_1.htm|date=May 29, 2009}} – Nasa: Listening to shortwave radio signals from Jupiter</ref>
|-
|3.34 × 10<sup>12</sup>
|''geo:'' average total (gas, electricity, etc.) power consumption of the US in 2005<ref>[http://www.eia.doe.gov/aer/txt/ptb0103.html U.S energy consumption by source, 1949–2005], [[Energy Information Administration]]. Retrieved May 25, 2007</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4" |10<sup>13</sup>
| rowspan="4" |
|2.04 × 10<sup>13</sup>
|''tech:'' average rate of [[World energy supply and consumption|power consumption of humanity]] over 2022.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ritchie |first1=Hannah |author1-link=Hannah Ritchie |last2=Rosado |first2=Pablo |last3=Roser |first3=Max |author3-link=Max Roser |date=2024-01-04 |title=Energy Production and Consumption |url=https://ourworldindata.org/energy-production-consumption |journal=Our World in Data}}</ref>
|-
|4.7 × 10<sup>13</sup>
|''geo:'' average total [[Earth's internal heat budget|heat flow at Earth's surface which originates from its interior]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Davies |first1=J. H. |last2=Davies |first2=D. R. |date=2010-02-22 |title=Earth's surface heat flux |journal=Solid Earth |language=en |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=5–24 |doi=10.5194/se-1-5-2010 |bibcode=2010SolE....1....5D |issn=1869-9529|doi-access=free }}</ref> Main sources are roughly equal amounts of [[radioactive decay]] and residual heat from [[Earth#Formation|Earth's formation]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Donald L. Turcotte|author2=Gerald Schubert|title=Geodynamics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-nCHlVuJ4FoC&q=primordial&pg=PA286|date=25 March 2002|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-66624-4}}</ref>
|-
|8.8 × 10<sup>13</sup>
|''astro:'' luminosity per square meter of the hottest normal star known, [[WR 102]]
|-
|5–20 × 10<sup>13</sup>
|''weather:'' rate of heat energy release by a [[hurricane]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
|-
| rowspan="5" |10<sup>14</sup>
| rowspan="5" |
|1.4 × 10<sup>14</sup>
|''eco:'' global [[net primary production]] (= [[biomass]] production) via [[photosynthesis]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://energyeducation.ca/encyclopedia/Earth%27s_energy_flow |title=Earth's energy flow - Energy Education |website=energyeducation.ca |access-date=2019-08-05}}</ref>
|-
|2.9 × 10<sup>14</sup>
|''tech:'' the power the [[Z Pulsed Power Facility|Z machine]] reaches in [[nanosecond|1 billionth of a second]] when it is fired{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
|-
|3 × 10<sup>14</sup>
|''weather:'' [[Hurricane Katrina|Hurricane Katrina's]] rate of release of [[latent heat]] energy into the air.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ATMO336 - Fall 2005|url=http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/students/courselinks/spring07/atmo336s3/lectures/sec2/hurricanes4.html|access-date=2020-11-18|website=www.atmo.arizona.edu}}</ref>
|-
|3 × 10<sup>14</sup>
|''tech:'' power reached by the extremely high-power [[Hercules (laser)|Hercules]] [[laser]] from the [[University of Michigan]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}
|-
|4.6 × 10<sup>14</sup>
|''geo:'' estimated rate of net global heating, evaluated as [[Earth's energy imbalance]], from 2005 to 2019.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Trenberth |first1=Kevin E. |last2=Cheng |first2=Lijing |title=A perspective on climate change from Earth's energy imbalance |date=4 July 2022 |journal=Environmental Research: Climate |volume=1 |number=1 |pages=3001 |doi=10.1088/2752-5295/ac6f74 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=von Schuckman |first1=K. |last2=Cheng |first2=L. |last3=Palmer |first3=M. D. |last4=Hansen |first4=J. |last5=Tassone |first5=C. |last6=Aich |first6=V. |last7=Adusumilli |first7=S. |last8=Beltrami |first8=H. |last9=Boyer |first9=T. |last10=Cuesta-Valero |first10=F. J. |display-authors=4 |title=Heat stored in the Earth system: where does the energy go? |journal=Earth System Science Data |date=7 September 2020 |volume=12 |issue=3 |pages=2013–2041 |doi=10.5194/essd-12-2013-2020 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2020ESSD...12.2013V |hdl=20.500.11850/443809 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> The rate of [[ocean heat content|ocean heat uptake]] approximately doubled over this period.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Loeb |first1=Norman G. |last2=Johnson |first2=Gregory C. |last3=Thorsen |first3=Tyler J. |last4=Lyman |first4=John M. |last5=Rose |first5=Fred G. |last6=Kato |first6=Seiji |display-authors=4 |title=Satellite and Ocean Data Reveal Marked Increase in Earth's Heating Rate |journal=Geophysical Research Letters |date=15 June 2021 |volume=48 |issue=13 |doi=10.1029/2021GL093047 |bibcode=2021GeoRL..4893047L |doi-access= |s2cid=236233508 }}</ref>
|}

==10<sup>15</sup> to 10<sup>26</sup> W==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
|rowspan=4|'''10<sup>15</sup>'''{{Anchor|1015}}
|rowspan=4|'''[[peta-]]'''
|{{nowrap|~2 × 1.00 × 10<sup>15</sup> W}}
|''tech:'' Omega EP laser power at the [[Laboratory for Laser Energetics]]. There are two separate beams that are combined.
|-
|1.4 × 10<sup>15</sup> W
|''geo:'' estimated heat flux transported by the [[Gulf Stream]].
|-
|5 × 10<sup>15</sup> W
|''geo:'' estimated net heat flux transported from Earth's equator and towards each pole. Value is a latitudinal maximum arising near 40° in each hemisphere.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Trenberth |first1=Kevin E. |last2=Caron |first2=Julie E. |title=Estimates of Meridional Atmosphere and Ocean Heat Transports |journal=Journal of Climate |volume=14 |issue=16 |pages=3433–3443 |date=15 August 2001 |doi=10.1175/1520-0442(2001)014<3433:EOMAAO>2.0.CO;2 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2001JCli...14.3433T }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Wunsch |first1=Carl |title=The Total Meridional Heat Flux and Its Oceanic and Atmospheric Partition |journal=Journal of Climate |volume=18 |issue=21 |pages=4374–4380 |date=1 November 2005 |doi=10.1175/JCLI3539.1 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2005JCli...18.4374W }}</ref>
|-
|7 × 10<sup>15</sup> W
|''tech: the'' world's most powerful laser in operation (claimed on February 7, 2019, by [[Extreme Light Infrastructure]] – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) at [[Măgurele|Magurele]], Romania)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Scientists create record-breaking 10-petawatt laser that can vaporize matter|url=https://www.techspot.com/news/79965-scientists-create-record-breaking-10-petawatt-laser-can.html|access-date=2020-11-24|website=TechSpot|date=May 7, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|10<sup>16</sup>
|rowspan=2|
|1.03 × 10<sup>16</sup> W
|''tech:'' world's most powerful laser pulses (claimed on October 24, 2017, by [[Shanghai Superintense-Ultrafast Lasers Facility|SULF]] of [[Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.publicnow.com/view/C0B0BF3214D1260BA9FFCC63AC318507D3B95527?2017-10-27-02:30:06+01:00-xxx7249|title=Super Laser Sets Another Record For Peak Power|date=26 October 2017|publisher=Shanghai Municipal Government}}</ref>
|-
|1–10 × 10<sup>16</sup> W
|''tech:'' estimated total power output of a Type-I civilization on the [[Kardashev scale]].<ref name="lemar">{{Cite web |url=http://www.coseti.org/lemarch1.htm |title=Detectability of Extraterrestrial Technological Activities |first=Guillermo A |last=Lemarchand |publisher=Columbus Optical SETI Observatory |website=coseti.org |accessdate=23 October 2004 |archive-date=2019-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190318193634/http://www.coseti.org/lemarch1.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" |10<sup>17</sup>
| rowspan="3" |
|1.73 × 10<sup>17</sup> W
|''astro:'' total power received by [[Earth]] from the [[Sun]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.mit.edu/2011/energy-scale-part3-1026 |title=Shining brightly |author=Chandler, David L. |publisher=[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] |website=news.mit.edu |date=26 October 2011 |accessdate=31 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
|2 × 10<sup>17</sup> W
|''tech'': planned peak power of [[Extreme Light Infrastructure]] laser<ref>[http://www.eli-beams.eu/science/lasers/ eli-beams.eu: Lasers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305003329/http://www.eli-beams.eu/science/lasers/ |date=March 5, 2015 }}</ref>
|-
|4.6 × 10<sup>17</sup> W
|''astro:'' total internal heat flux of Jupiter<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Liming |last2=Jiang |first2=X. |last3=West |first3=R. A. |last4=Gierasch |first4=P. J. |last5=Perez-Hoyos |first5=S. |last6=Sanchez-Lavega |first6=A. |last7=Fletcher |first7=L. N. |last8=Fortney |first8=J. J. |last9=Knowles |first9=B. |last10=Porco |first10=C. C. |last11=Baines |first11=K. H. |last12=Fry |first12=P. M. |last13=Mallama |first13=A. |last14=Achterberg |first14=R. K. |last15=Simon |first15=A. A. |date=2018-09-13 |title=Less absorbed solar energy and more internal heat for Jupiter |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=3709 |doi=10.1038/s41467-018-06107-2 |pmid=30213944 |pmc=6137063 |bibcode=2018NatCo...9.3709L |s2cid=52274616 |issn=2041-1723}}</ref>
|-
|'''10<sup>18</sup>'''{{Anchor|1018}}
|'''[[exa-]] (EW)'''
|
|In a keynote presentation, NIF & Photon Science Chief Technology Officer Chris Barty described the "Nexawatt" Laser, an exawatt (1,000-petawatt) laser concept based on NIF technologies, on April 13 at the SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics 2015 Conference in Prague. Barty also gave an invited talk on "Laser-Based Nuclear Photonics" at the SPIE meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lasers.llnl.gov/news/papers-presentations#barty |title=Papers and Presentations |publisher=Lasers.llnl.gov |date=2016-01-28 |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|'''10<sup>21</sup>'''{{Anchor|1021}}
|'''[[zetta-]] (ZW)'''
|
|
|-
|10<sup>22</sup>
|
|5.31 × 10<sup>22</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate [[luminosity]] of [[2MASS J0523−1403]], the least luminous star known.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Filippazzo |first1=Joseph C. |last2=Rice |first2=Emily L. |last3=Faherty |first3=Jacqueline |last4=Cruz |first4=Kelle L. |last5=Van Gordon |first5=Mollie M. |last6=Looper |first6=Dagny L. |date=2015-09-10 |title=Fundamental Parameters and Spectral Energy Distributions of Young and Field Age Objects with Masses Spanning the Stellar to Planetary Regime |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=810 |issue=2 |pages=158 |doi=10.1088/0004-637X/810/2/158 |arxiv=1508.01767 |bibcode=2015ApJ...810..158F |s2cid=89611607 |issn=1538-4357}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>23</sup>
|
|4.08 × 10<sup>23</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Wolf 359]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''10<sup>24</sup>'''{{Anchor|1024}}
| rowspan="2" |'''[[yotta-]] (YW)'''
|5.3 × 10<sup>24</sup> W
|''tech:'' estimated peak power of the [[Tsar Bomba]] [[hydrogen bomb]] detonation<ref>{{cite web|author=Matt Ford |url=https://arstechnica.com/science/2006/09/5310/ |title=The biggest explosion in our solar system |website=Ars Technica |date=2006-09-15 |access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref>
|-
|9.8 × 10<sup>24</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of Sirius B, [[Sirius|Sirius's]] [[white dwarf]] companion.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-06 |title=Sirius Data |url=http://vega.lpl.arizona.edu/sirius/A6.html |access-date=2024-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106101230/http://vega.lpl.arizona.edu/sirius/A6.html |archive-date=January 6, 2024 }}</ref><ref>Calculated: L = Stefan-Boltzmann constant × (Sirius b surface temperature)^4 × 4pi × (radius)^2 = 5.67e-8 × 25200^4 × 4pi × (5.84e+6)^2 = 9.8e+24 W.</ref>
|-
| rowspan="4" |10<sup>26</sup>
| rowspan="4" |
|1 × 10<sup>26</sup> W
|''tech:'' power generating capacity of a Type-II civilization on the [[Kardashev scale]].<ref name="lemar" />
|-
|1.87 × 10<sup>26</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Tau Ceti]], the nearest solitary G-type star.
|-
|3.828 × 10<sup>26</sup> W
|''astro:'' [[luminosity]] of the [[Sun]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=The IAU Strategic Plan 2010-2020: Astronomy for Development |url=https://www.iau.org/static/resolutions/IAU2015_English.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106080532/https://www.iau.org/static/resolutions/IAU2015_English.pdf |archive-date=January 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-01-06}}</ref> our home star
|-
|7.67 × 10<sup>26</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Alpha Centauri]], the closest (triple) star system.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Akeson |first1=Rachel |last2=Beichman |first2=Charles |last3=Kervella |first3=Pierre |last4=Fomalont |first4=Edward |last5=Benedict |first5=G. Fritz |date=2021-07-01 |title=Precision Millimeter Astrometry of the $\alpha$ Centauri AB System |journal=The Astronomical Journal |volume=162 |issue=1 |pages=14 |doi=10.3847/1538-3881/abfaff |doi-access=free |arxiv=2104.10086 |bibcode=2021AJ....162...14A |issn=0004-6256}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>27</sup>
| rowspan="2" |'''[[ronna-]] (RW)'''
|9.77 × 10<sup>27</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Sirius]], the visibly brightest star as viewed from Earth.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Liebert |first1=James |last2=Young |first2=Patrick A. |last3=Arnett |first3=David |last4=Holberg |first4=J. B. |last5=Williams |first5=Kurtis A. |date=2005-09-01 |title=The Age and Progenitor Mass of Sirius B |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=630 |issue=1 |pages=L69–L72 |doi=10.1086/462419 |arxiv=astro-ph/0507523 |bibcode=2005ApJ...630L..69L |s2cid=8792889 |issn=0004-637X}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>28</sup>
|6.51 × 10<sup>28</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Arcturus]], a solar-mass red giant<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Schroder |first1=Klaus-Peter |last2=Cuntz |first2=Manfred |date=April 2007 |title=A critical test of empirical mass loss formulae applied to individual giants and supergiants |journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics |volume=465 |issue=2 |pages=593–601 |doi=10.1051/0004-6361:20066633 |arxiv=astro-ph/0702172 |bibcode=2007A&A...465..593S |s2cid=55901104 |issn=0004-6361}}</ref>
|}

==Over 10<sup>27</sup> W==

{|class="wikitable
| rowspan="2" |'''10<sup>30</sup>'''{{Anchor|1030}}
| rowspan="2" |'''[[quetta-]] (QW)'''
|1.99 × 10<sup>30</sup> W
|''astro:'' peak luminosity of the Sun in its thermally-pulsing, late [[Asymptotic giant branch|AGB]] phase (≈5200x present)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sackmann |first1=I. -Juliana |last2=Boothroyd |first2=Arnold I. |last3=Kraemer |first3=Kathleen E. |date=1993-11-01 |title=Our Sun. III. Present and Future |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993ApJ...418..457S |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=418 |pages=457 |doi=10.1086/173407 |bibcode=1993ApJ...418..457S |issn=0004-637X}}</ref>
|-
|4.1 × 10<sup>30</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Canopus]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cruzalèbes |first1=P. |last2=Jorissen |first2=A. |last3=Rabbia |first3=Y. |last4=Sacuto |first4=S. |last5=Chiavassa |first5=A. |last6=Pasquato |first6=E. |last7=Plez |first7=B. |last8=Eriksson |first8=K. |last9=Spang |first9=A. |last10=Chesneau |first10=O. |date=2013-09-01 |title=Fundamental parameters of 16 late-type stars derived from their angular diameter measured with VLTI/AMBER |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |volume=434 |issue=1 |pages=437–450 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stt1037 |doi-access=free |arxiv=1306.3288 |issn=0035-8711}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |10<sup>31</sup>
| rowspan="2" |
|2.53 × 10<sup>31</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the [[Beta Centauri]] triple star system<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Shultz |first1=M. E. |last2=Wade |first2=G. A. |last3=Rivinius |first3=Th |last4=Alecian |first4=E. |last5=Neiner |first5=C. |last6=Petit |first6=V. |last7=Wisniewski |first7=J. P. |last8=MiMeS |first8=the |last9=Collaborations |first9=BinaMIcS |date=2019-05-11 |title=The Magnetic Early B-type Stars II: stellar atmospheric parameters in the era of Gaia |journal=Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |volume=485 |issue=2 |pages=1508–1527 |doi=10.1093/mnras/stz416 |doi-access=free |arxiv=1902.02713 |issn=0035-8711}}</ref>
|-
|3.3 × 10<sup>31</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Betelgeuse]], a highly-evolved red supergiant
|-
|10<sup>32</sup>
|
|1.23 × 10<sup>32</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[Deneb]]
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''10<sup>33</sup>'''{{Anchor|1033}}
| rowspan="3" |
|1.26&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>33</sup>&nbsp;W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the [[Pistol Star]], an [[Luminous blue variable|LBV]] which emits in 10 seconds the Sun's annual energy output
|-
|1.79&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>33</sup>&nbsp;W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[R136a1]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Kalari |first1=Venu M. |last2=Horch |first2=Elliott P. |last3=Salinas |first3=Ricardo |last4=Vink |first4=Jorick S. |last5=Andersen |first5=Morten |last6=Bestenlehner |first6=Joachim M. |last7=Rubio |first7=Monica |date=2022-08-01 |title=Resolving the Core of R136 in the Optical |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=935 |issue=2 |pages=162 |doi=10.3847/1538-4357/ac8424 |doi-access=free |arxiv=2207.13078 |bibcode=2022ApJ...935..162K |issn=0004-637X}}</ref> a massive [[Wolf–Rayet star|Wolf-Rayet star]] and the most luminous single star known
|-
|2.1&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>33</sup>&nbsp;W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the [[Eta Carinae]] system,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mehner |first1=A. |last2=de Wit |first2=W.-J. |last3=Asmus |first3=D. |last4=Morris |first4=P. W. |last5=Agliozzo |first5=C. |last6=Barlow |first6=M. J. |last7=Gull |first7=T. R. |last8=Hillier |first8=D. J. |last9=Weigelt |first9=G. |date=October 2019 |title=Mid-infrared evolution of eta Car from 1968 to 2018 |journal=Astronomy & Astrophysics |volume=630 |pages=L6 |doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201936277 |arxiv=1908.09154 |s2cid=202149820 |issn=0004-6361}}</ref> a highly elliptical binary of two supergiant blue stars orbiting each other
|-
|10<sup>34</sup>
|
|4 × 10<sup>34</sup> W
|''tech:'' approximate power used by a type III civilization in the [[Kardashev scale]].<ref name="lemar" />
|-
|'''10<sup>36</sup>'''{{Anchor|1036}}
|
|5.7 × 10<sup>36</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the [[Milky Way]] galaxy<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-06 |title=Galaxy Properties |url=https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/~dfabricant/huchra/seminar/galaxies/ |access-date=2024-01-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106080354/https://lweb.cfa.harvard.edu/~dfabricant/huchra/seminar/galaxies/ |archive-date=January 6, 2024 }}</ref><ref>Calculated: 1.5e+10 L_sol * 3.828e+26 W/L_sol = 5.7e+36 W</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |10<sup>37</sup>
| rowspan="2" |
|2 × 10<sup>37</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the [[Local Group]], the volume enclosed by our gravitational cosmic horizon<ref>{{Cite journal |last=van den Bergh |first=Sidney |date=1999-01-01 |title=The local group of galaxies |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1999A&ARv...9..273V |journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics Review |volume=9 |issue=3–4 |pages=273–318 |doi=10.1007/s001590050019 |bibcode=1999A&ARv...9..273V |issn=0935-4956}}</ref><ref>Estimated to have an absolute magnitude of -22.</ref>
|-
|4 × 10<sup>37</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate internal luminosity of the Sun for a few seconds as it undergoes a [[helium flash]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Deupree |first1=Robert G. |last2=Wallace |first2=Richard K. |date=1987-06-01 |title=The Core Helium Flash and Surface Abundance Anomalies |url=https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1987ApJ...317..724D |journal=The Astrophysical Journal |volume=317 |pages=724 |doi=10.1086/165319 |bibcode=1987ApJ...317..724D |issn=0004-637X}}</ref><ref>Peak helium flash luminosity ≈ 100 billion times normal energy production.</ref>
|-
|10<sup>38</sup>
|
|2.2 × 10<sup>38</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the extremely luminous supernova [[ASASSN-15lh]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Dong|first1=Subo|last2=Shappee|first2=B. J.|last3=Prieto|first3=J. L.|last4=Jha|first4=S. W.|last5=Stanek|first5=K. Z.|last6=Holoien|first6=T. W.-S.|last7=Kochanek|first7=C. S.|last8=Thompson|first8=T. A.|last9=Morrell|first9=N.|last10=Thompson|first10=I. B.|last11=Basu|first11=U.|date=2016-01-15|title=ASASSN-15lh: A highly super-luminous supernova|url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aac9613|journal=Science|language=en|volume=351|issue=6270|pages=257–260|doi=10.1126/science.aac9613|issn=0036-8075|pmid=26816375|arxiv=1507.03010|bibcode=2016Sci...351..257D|hdl=10533/231850|s2cid=31444274}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=The Incomprehensible Power of a Supernova {{!}} RealClearScience|url=https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2016/01/the_incomprehensible_power_of_a_supernova.html|access-date=2020-11-22|newspaper=Realclearscience |last1=Hartsfield |first1=Tom }}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''10<sup>39</sup>'''{{Anchor|1039}}
| rowspan="2" |
|1 × 10<sup>39</sup> W
|''astro:'' average luminosity of a [[quasar]]
|-
|1.57&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>39</sup>&nbsp;W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of [[3C 273|3C273]], the brightest quasar seen from Earth<ref>Calculated as: Solar luminosity × 10^(0.4 × (Sun absolute magnitude - 3C 273 absolute magnitude)) = 3.828e+26 × 10^(0.4 × (4.83 - (- 26.73))) = 3.828e+26 × 4.1e+12 = 1.57e+39 W.</ref>
|-
|10<sup>40</sup>
|
|5 × 10<sup>40</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate peak luminosity of the energetic fast blue optical transient [[CSS161010]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Coppejans|first1=D. L.|last2=Margutti|first2=R.|last3=Terreran|first3=G.|last4=Nayana|first4=A. J.|last5=Coughlin|first5=E. R.|last6=Laskar|first6=T.|last7=Alexander|first7=K. D.|last8=Bietenholz|first8=M.|last9=Caprioli|first9=D.|last10=Chandra|first10=P.|last11=Drout|first11=M.|title=A mildly relativistic outflow from the energetic, fast-rising blue optical transient CSS161010 in a dwarf galaxy|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|year=2020|volume=895|issue=1|pages=L23|arxiv=2003.10503|doi=10.3847/2041-8213/ab8cc7|bibcode=2020ApJ...895L..23C|s2cid=214623364 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>41</sup>
|
|1 × 10<sup>41</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the most luminous quasars in our universe, e.g., [[APM 08279+5255]] and HS 1946+7658.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Riechers|first1=Dominik A.|last2=Walter|first2=Fabian|last3=Carilli|first3=Christopher L.|last4=Lewis|first4=Geraint F.|title=Imaging the Molecular Gas in Az= 3.9 Quasar Host Galaxy at 0."3 Resolution: a Central, Sub-kiloparsec Scale Star Formation Reservoir in Apm 08279+5255|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=690|issue=1|year=2009|pages=463–485|issn=0004-637X|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/690/1/463|arxiv = 0809.0754|bibcode = 2009ApJ...690..463R|s2cid=13959993}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan=2|'''10<sup>42</sup>'''{{Anchor|1042}}
|rowspan=2|
|1.7&nbsp;×&nbsp;10<sup>42</sup>&nbsp;W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of the [[Laniakea Supercluster]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Tully |first1=R. Brent |last2=Courtois |first2=Helene |last3=Hoffman |first3=Yehuda |last4=Pomarède |first4=Daniel |date=2014-09-04 |title=The Laniakea supercluster of galaxies |journal=Nature |volume=513 |issue=7516 |pages=71–73 |doi=10.1038/nature13674 |pmid=25186900 |arxiv=1409.0880 |bibcode=2014Natur.513...71T |s2cid=205240232 |issn=0028-0836}}</ref><ref>Calculated. Estimated assuming Laniakea to be a sphere 160 Mpc in diameter, according to p.4 of cited paper:

Observable universe luminosity × (Laniakea Supercluster diameter / Observable universe diameter)^3 = 9.466e+48 W × (160 Mpc / 28.5 Gpc)^3 = 1.675e+42 ≈ 1.7e+42 W.</ref>
|-
|3 × 10<sup>42</sup> W
|''astro:'' approximate luminosity of an average [[gamma-ray burst]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Guetta|first1=Dafne|last2=Piran|first2=Tsvi|last3=Waxman|first3=Eli|title=The Luminosity and Angular Distributions of Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Bursts|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=619|issue=1|year=2005|pages=412–419|issn=0004-637X|doi=10.1086/423125|arxiv = astro-ph/0311488|bibcode = 2005ApJ...619..412G|s2cid=14741044}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>43</sup>
|
|2.2 × 10<sup>43</sup> W
|''astro:'' average stellar luminosity in one cubic giga[[light-year]] of space
|-
|10<sup>45</sup>{{Anchor|1045}}
|
|
|
|-
|10<sup>46</sup>
|
|1 × 10<sup>46</sup> W
|''astro:'' record for maximum beaming-corrected intrinsic luminosity ever achieved by a [[gamma-ray burst]]<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Frederiks|first1=D. D.|last2=Hurley|first2=K.|last3=Svinkin|first3=D. S.|last4=Pal'shin|first4=V. D.|last5=Mangano|first5=V.|last6=Oates|first6=S.|last7=Aptekar|first7=R. L.|last8=Golenetskii|first8=S. V.|last9=Mazets|first9=E. P.|last10=Oleynik|first10=Ph. P.|last11=Tsvetkova|first11=A. E.|last12=Ulanov|first12=M. V.|last13=Kokomov|first13=A. A.|last14=Cline|first14=T. L.|last15=Burrows|first15=D. N.|last16=Krimm|first16=H. A.|last17=Pagani|first17=C.|last18=Sbarufatti|first18=B.|last19=Siegel|first19=M. H.|last20=Mitrofanov|first20=I. G.|last21=Golovin|first21=D.|last22=Litvak|first22=M. L.|last23=Sanin|first23=A. B.|last24=Boynton|first24=W.|last25=Fellows|first25=C.|last26=Harshman|first26=K.|last27=Enos|first27=H.|last28=Starr|first28=R.|last29=von Kienlin|first29=A.|last30=Rau|first30=A.|last31=Zhang|first31=X.|last32=Goldstein|first32=J.|title=The Ultraluminous GRB 110918A|journal=The Astrophysical Journal|volume=779|issue=2|year=2013|pages=151|issn=0004-637X|doi=10.1088/0004-637X/779/2/151|arxiv = 1311.5734|bibcode = 2013ApJ...779..151F|s2cid=118398826|display-authors=5}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>47</sup>
|
|7.519 × 10<sup>47</sup> W
|''phys:'' [[Hawking radiation]] luminosity of a [[Planck mass]] [[black hole]]<ref>Calculated: https://www.wolframalpha.com/input?i=hawking+radiation+calculate&assumption=%7B%22FS%22%7D+-%3E+%7B%7B%22BlackHoleHawkingRadiationPower%22%2C+%22P%22%7D%2C+%7B%22BlackHoleHawkingRadiationPower%22%2C+%22M%22%7D%7D&assumption=%7B%22F%22%2C+%22BlackHoleHawkingRadiationPower%22%2C+%22M%22%7D+-%3E%22planck+mass%22</ref>
|-
|10<sup>48</sup>{{Anchor|1048}}
|
|9.5 × 10<sup>48</sup> W
|astro: luminosity of the entire [[Observable universe]]<ref>Calculated. Assuming isotropicity in composition and identical age since Big Bang within cosmological horizon, expressed as:

Ordinary [baryonic] mass of observable universe / Ordinary mass of Milky Way × Luminosity of Milky Way.

L_total = 1.5e+53 kg / 4.6e+10 M_sol * 1.5e+10 L_sol = 9.466e+48 W ≈ 9.5e+48 W.</ref> ≈ 24.6 billion trillion solar luminosity.
|-
|10<sup>49</sup>
|
|3.6 × 10<sup>49</sup> W
|''astro:'' peak gravitational wave radiative power of [[First observation of gravitational waves|GW150914]], the merger event of two distant stellar-mass black holes. It is attributed to the first observation of gravitational waves.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GW150914: Factsheet |url=https://www.ligo.org/detections/GW150914/fact-sheet.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106071732/https://www.ligo.org/detections/GW150914/fact-sheet.pdf |archive-date=January 6, 2024 |access-date=2024-01-06 |website=www.ligo.org}}</ref>
|-
|10<sup>52</sup>
|
|3.63 × 10<sup>52</sup> W
|''phys:'' the unit of power as expressed under the [[Planck units]],<ref group="note"><math>\frac{c^5}{G}</math></ref> at which the definition of power under modern conceptualizations of physics breaks down. Equivalent to one Planck mass-energy per Planck time.
|}

==See also==
*[[Orders of magnitude (energy)]]
*[[Orders of magnitude (voltage)]]
*[[World energy resources and consumption]]
*[[SI|International System of Units (SI)]]
*[[SI prefix]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Orders of magnitude}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orders Of Magnitude (Power)}}
[[Category:Orders of magnitude|Power]]
[[Category:Power (physics)]]
[[Category:Units of power| ]]