Globular clusters and the Mira period–luminosity relation |
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| Authors: | Michael Feast Patricia Whitelock John Menzies |
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| Institution: | 1Astronomy Department, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa;2South African Astronomical Observatory, PO Box 9, Observatory, 7935, South Africa |
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| Abstract: | A globular cluster distance scale based on Hipparcos parallaxes of subdwarfs has been used to derive estimates of M K for cluster Miras, including one in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) globular cluster NGC 121. These lead to a zero-point of the Mira infrared period–luminosity (PL) relation, PL( K ), in good agreement with that derived from Hipparcos parallaxes of nearby field Miras. The mean of these two estimates together with data on LMC Miras yields a Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) distance modulus of  in evident agreement with a metallicity-corrected Cepheid modulus  .
The use of luminous asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars as extragalactic population indicators is also discussed. |
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| Keywords: | stars: AGB and post-AGB stars: variables: other globular clusters: general distance scale |
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