April 1, 1999 Pratt Conference Room, 12:30 pm
Fixing the Lower Rungs of the Cosmological Distance Scale
Dr. Kris Stanek, CfA
Abstract
I will review the Local Group distance scale indicators
and discuss some major problems of the local distance scale.
The distance to the LMC, which provides the zero point
for the Cepheid distance scale, might be 15% shorter
than assumed, as revealed by the Hipparcos calibrated
red clump stars. I will also discuss the ongoing effort
to obtain DIRECT distances to the M31 and M33 galaxies.
