The brightness of a star depends on its (color, composition of atmosphere, or distance from earth), and stars that are closer look (brighter, dimmer, or white).
The brightness of stars depends on its distance from earth. Stars that are closer look brighter. Star stuff is my favorite thing to learn about because I'm a sweaty nerd, so if you have anymore related questions I'd love to answer them.
The apparent brightness of a star depends on how bright it really IS, and also on its distance from Earth. Just like matches, flashlights, and fireflies, stars that are closer to us look brighter to us. (Think about the Sun.)