The net, _one number_ solution for the universe's total integrated star light in visual (V-band) magnitudes which Abdul Ahad calculated as an analytical approximation in July 2004:-Ahad's constant = (magnitude of stars) + (magnitude of milky way)= (-6.0) + (-5.1) = -6.5 mags net (1/300th of a Full Moon).If you added up the minute amounts of light from each and every single star visible across the full, 360-degree spherical celestial sphere around you, the total flux would roughly equate to AC. It is simply the total amount of light an observer would visually experience in local interstellar space, when located away from the bright neighbourhood of our Sun. For a fuller discussion on usenet, see these threads.The original article (which is rather long) can be accessed here.In actual practic