THE DISTANCE TO THE LARGE MAGELLANIC CLOUD CLUSTER NGC 1866 FROM ITS CEPHEID MEMBERS
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Date
1994
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Abstract
We have derived distances to four Cepheid variables of similar periods (2.6-3.5 days) in the field of the young LMC cluster NGC 1866 using the visual surface brightness modification of the Baade-Wesselink method. For three of these variables, consistent distances are obtained which support their cluster membership and yield a true cluster distance modulus of 18.47 +/- 0.20 mag. The distances have been corrected for the nonsolar metallicity of -0.6 dex recently determined for NGC 1866 by Hilker et al. A fourth Cepheid, HV 12204, is shown to have a bright blue companion star which invalidates the Baade-Wesselink analysis; this Cepheid is likely to be a cluster member in a spectroscopic binary system.
We determine the radii of the variables and find consistent values in the narrow range between 26 and 31 R., which agree very well with the values expected from the galactic Cepheid period-radius relation.
We determine the radii of the variables and find consistent values in the narrow range between 26 and 31 R., which agree very well with the values expected from the galactic Cepheid period-radius relation.
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CEPHEIDS, GALAXIES, STAR CLUSTERS, MAGELLANIC CLOUDS