Determination of the LMC distance modulus from the Classical Cepheid Period-Luminosity relation

Abstract

The distance modulus of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is the first step on the determination of the cosmic distance scale. In this paper it is obtained from a new calibration of the classical Cepheid Period-Luminosity (PL) relation. Our new calibration is obtained by applying the LM method -- a parametric method designed to obtain luminosity calibrations from astrometric information -- to the Hipparcos data for Classical Cepheids. The resulting distance modulus is $18.35^m\pm 0.13$.

5 pages, 1 figure Colloquium "Harmonizing Cosmic Distance Scales in a Post-Hipparcos Era" Haguenau September 1998