You're right to be confused! It seems counterintuitive, but absolute magnitude is *smaller* for brighter stars, and *larger* for fainter stars. This is because the magnitude scale works in reverse:

* Smaller magnitude = Brighter object

* Larger magnitude = Fainter object

Here's the breakdown:

* Apparent magnitude is how bright a star *appears* to us on Earth. This depends on the star's intrinsic brightness (luminosity) and its distance from Earth.

* Absolute magnitude is a standardized measure of a star's intrinsic brightness. It's defined as the apparent magnitude the star would have if it were placed at a distance of 10 parsecs (about 32.6 light-years) from Earth.

So, if a star has an absolute magnitude greater than its apparent magnitude, it means the star is *closer* to Earth than 10 parsecs. This makes it appear brighter than it would if it were at the standard distance.

Here's an example:

* A star with an apparent magnitude of +5 and an absolute magnitude of +2 is closer than 10 parsecs.

* A star with an apparent magnitude of +2 and an absolute magnitude of +5 is farther than 10 parsecs.

It's easy to get confused by the opposite relationship between magnitude and brightness. Just remember that a smaller magnitude always means a brighter object, whether we're talking about apparent or absolute magnitude.