The Long-Period Variable Stars of M33
Abstract
Infrared photometry of long-period variables (LPVs) in M33 shows that the majority of those identified up to now are supergiants. The period- luminosity relation for these stars yields a distance to M33 of 760 kpc with a 10% uncertainty. This uncertainty primarily reflects the uncertain distance of the Large Magellanic Cloud, although the broader P-L relation of M33 is a contributing factor. Cepheid period-luminosity relations yield a distance at the low end of this range; RR Lyrae stars tend toward the high end. The remaining LPVs are asympototic giant branch stars. There is one confirmed carbon star among them.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- February 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1086/168336
- Bibcode:
- 1990ApJ...349..503M
- Keywords:
-
- Spiral Galaxies;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Stellar Oscillations;
- Variable Stars;
- Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars;
- Cepheid Variables;
- Color-Color Diagram;
- Magellanic Clouds;
- Astrophysics;
- GALAXIES: INDIVIDUAL MESSIER NUMBER: M33;
- STARS: LONG-PERIOD VARIABLES;
- STARS: PULSATION