Photometric Distance to the RR Lyrae Star SW Andromedae Using Period-Luminosity-Metallicity Relationships

Volume 51 number 1 (2023)

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Talon Dow

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; dow14011t@byui.edu

Jakob Bergstedt

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; ber19009@byui.edu

Emily Payne

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; pay19019@byui.edu

Tyce Olaveson

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; tyceolaveson@gmail.com

Hayley Kerkman

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; ker17007@byui.edu

Lesilie Greer

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; gre16007@byui.edu

Stephen McNeil

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; mcneils@byui.edu

Abstract

Cáceres and Catelans’ period-luminosity-metallicity equations give us a way to measure the photometric distance to RR Lyrae stars using absolute magnitude equations that rely on the specific photometric filter (V, i, and z), the period, and the metallicity. Over a period of two weeks, 76 images of the RR Lyr Star SW Andromedae were taken in the B, V, i, and z bands. Using Source Extractor Kron (SEK) photometry method, the apparent magnitudes were plotted and converted into periods and amplitudes. Together with previously measured values for the metallicity and interstellar extinction, we calculated a photometric distance to SW Andromedae of 516 ± 14 parsecs to 527 ± 14 depending on the chosen metallicity. This distance is comparable to the parallax distance obtained from GAIA EDR3 data of 510 ± 7 parsecs.