Finding the Distance to the RR Lyrae Star CF Leo

Volume 53 number 1 (2025)

Download this article (pdf)

Cherise Mayo

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2814; cherise.mayo@wsu.edu

Michael Allen (corresponding)

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-2814; mlfa@wsu.edu

Abstract

The distance to the RRab Lyrae star CF Leo was measured photometrically using period-luminosity-metallicity (PLZ) relations in the optical and infrared. The PLZ results were compared to parallax measurements found by the Gaia mission. Our observations were collected over a four month span from March 29 to July 18, 2023, for a total of 379 observations. Source extractor kron (SEK) photometry was applied. Light curves were made from the filters B, V, zs, and ip. The calculated period was found to be 0.7390 ± 0.0009 day. We found average distances of 2016 ± 90 pc and 2003 ± 90 using two different extinction models. These distances compare favorably with the Gaia mission DR3 distance of 2122 pc.