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Session 12 -- Stars and Variable Stars

Oral presentation, Monday, June 12, 1995, 10:00am - 11:30am

[12.06] The Luminosities of RR Lyrae Stars

The new Kurucz model atmospheres indicate that the temperatures of RR Lyrae stars inferred from optical and near infrared color indices are approximately 200$^o$K to 300$^o$K hotter than those inferred from older models. If these temperatures are adopted we find the absolute magnitudes of the RR Lyrae stars are 0.2 mag brighter than previously assumed.

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If we adopt the new magnitude scale we find:

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1) the ages of globular clusters are reduced 2) the distance to the galactic center is increased, and 3) the RR Lyrae stars give distances to local group galaxies identical to distances inferred from classical cepheids.

Monday program listing