Photometric Determination of the Distance to the RR Lyrae Star YZ Capricorni

Volume 49 number 2 (2021)

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Jamie Lester

Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319; jlester3@oglethorpe.edu

Rowan Joignant

Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319; pjoignant@oglethorpe.edu

Mariel Meier

Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30319; mmeier@oglethorpe.edu

Abstract

The RR Lyrae YZ Cap was observed using photometric methods to determine its pulsation period and distance. Light curves in the Bessell B and V and SDSS i' and z' filters were used to determine the period, which was found to be 0.274 ± 0.003 day. The distances calculated using a luminosity-metallicity (V filter) and period-luminosity-metallicity relationship (i' filter and z' filter) were: V: 1107 ± 52 pc, i': 1191 ± 126 pc, and z': 1092 ± 128 pc. These are in agreement with the distance measurement from the second Gaia data release, 1144 ± 90 pc. This demonstrates the potential to use ground-based observations in the visible and near-infrared to determine the distance to RR Lyrae variable stars.