Photometric Distance of the RR Lyrae Star SU Draconis using Period-Luminosity-Metellacity Relationships

Volume 52 number 2 (2024)

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Britton Baltich

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; bal19022@byui.edu

Kevin Siaw

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; sia21002@byui.edu

Jacob Davis

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; dav21062@byui.edu

Meseret Wolde

Brigham Young University-Idaho, Department of Physics, Rexburg, ID 83460; wol20001@byui.edu

Stephen R. McNeil

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

Abstract

The distance to the RR Lyrae Star SU Draconis was estimated via photometric analysis using period-luminosity-metallicity equations from Cáceres and Catelan, as well as Garofalo’s luminosity-metallicity equation. Exposures were taken in the B, V, i, and z bands over a two-week period (65 exposures per band). Photometry files from the cadence were analyzed via Astrosource to calculate period and magnitudes. This analysis produced an estimated distance of 643 ± 19 parsecs and 596 ± 18 parsecs from the Cáceres and Catelan equations, and 616 ± 10 parsecs and 550 ± 10 parsecs from the Garofalo equation (there are two estimates per model, one for each metallicity measurement used). These values are significantly lower than Gaia’s DR3 parallax measurement of 750.7 ± 8.1 parsecs.