Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2010-08-06
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
AJ in press
Scientific paper
We present measurements of the V and I band magnitudes of red clump stars in 15 nearby galaxies obtained from recently published homogenous HST photometry. Supplementing these results with similar data for another 8 galaxies available in the literature the populational effects on the V and I band magnitudes of red clump stars were investigated. Comparing red clump magnitudes with the I-band magnitude of the TRGB in a total sample of 23 galaxies possessing very different environments we demonstrate that population effects strongly affect both the V and I band magnitude of red clump stars in a complex way. Our empirical results basically confirm the theoretical results of Girardi and Salaris, and show that optical (VI) photometry of red clump stars is not an accurate method for the determination of distances to nearby galaxies at the present moment, as long as the population effects are not better calibrated, both empirically and theoretically. Near infrared photometry is a much better way to measure galaxy distances with red clump stars given its smaller sensitivity to population effects.
Ciechanowska Anna
Gieren Wolfgang
Gorski Mark
Laney Dave
Pietrzynski Grzegorz
No associations
LandOfFree
The Araucaria Project. Population effects on the V and I band magnitudes of red clump stars does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Araucaria Project. Population effects on the V and I band magnitudes of red clump stars, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Araucaria Project. Population effects on the V and I band magnitudes of red clump stars will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-231693