Related papers: The First Stellar Parallaxes Revisited

Probability density functions are determined from new stellar parameters for the distance moduli of stars for which the RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) has obtained spectra with S/N>=10. Single-Gaussian fits to the pdf in distance modulus…

We present the first space-based microlens parallax measurement of an isolated star. From the striking differences in the lightcurve as seen from Earth and from Spitzer (~1 AU to the West), we infer a projected velocity v_helio,projected ~…

For the vast majority of stars in the second Gaia data release, reliable distances cannot be obtained by inverting the parallax. A correct inference procedure must instead be used to account for the nonlinearity of the transformation and…

We use 612 single stars with previously published trigonometric parallaxes placing them within 25 pc to evaluate parallaxes released in Gaia's first data release (DR1). We find that the Gaia parallaxes are, on average, $0.24 \pm 0.02$ mas…

We combine parallaxes from the first Gaia data release with the spectrophotometric distance estimation framework for stars in the fifth RAVE survey data release. The combined distance estimates are more accurate than either determination in…

Astrometric surveys such as Gaia and LSST will measure parallaxes for hundreds of millions of stars. Yet they will not measure a single distance. Rather, a distance must be estimated from a parallax. In this didactic article, I show that…

The distance to the Vela pulsar (PSR B0833-45) has been traditionally assumed to be 500 pc. Although affected by a significant uncertainty, this value stuck to both the pulsar and the SNR. In an effort to obtain a model free distance…

We infer distances and their asymmetric uncertainties for two million stars using the parallaxes published in the Gaia DR1 (GDR1) catalogue. We do this with two distance priors: A minimalist, isotropic prior assuming an exponentially…

We employ VLTI GRAVITY to resolve, for the first time, the two images generated by a gravitational microlens. The measurements of the image separation \theta_{-,+}=3.78 +/- 0.05 mas, and hence the Einstein radius \theta_E =1.87 +/- 0.03…

Parallax measurements allow distances to celestial objects to be determined. Coupled with measurement of their position on the celestial sphere, it gives a full three-dimensional picture of the location of the objects relative to the…

Data from the space missions {\it Gaia}, {\it Kepler}, {\it CoRoT} and {\it TESS}, make it possible to compare parallax and asteroseismic distances. From the ratio of two densities $\rho_{\rm sca}/\rho_{\pi}$, we obtain an empirical…

We present a comparison of parallaxes and radii from asteroseismology and Gaia DR1 (TGAS) for 2200 Kepler stars spanning from the main sequence to the red giant branch. We show that previously identified offsets between TGAS parallaxes and…

I used the 2.4 m Hiltner telescope at MDM Observatory in an attempt to measure trigonometric parallaxes for 14 cataclysmic variable stars. Techniques are described in detail. In the best cases the parallax uncertainties are below 1 mas, and…

A Bayesian approach to the determination of stellar distances from photometric and spectroscopic data is presented and tested both on pseudodata, designed to mimic data for stars observed by the RAVE survey, and on the real stars from the…

Estimating a distance by inverting a parallax is only valid in the absence of noise. As most stars in the Gaia catalogue will have non-negligible fractional parallax errors, we must treat distance estimation as a constrained inference…

Over the past decade, the BeSSeL Survey and the VERA project have measured trigonometric parallaxes to approximately 250 massive, young stars using VLBI techniques. These sources trace spiral arms over nearly half of the Milky Way. What is…

Ages, chemical compositions, velocity vectors, and Galactic orbits for stars in the solar neighbourhood are fundamental test data for models of Galactic evolution. We aim to improve the accuracy of the Geneva-Copenhagen Survey data by…

During the 17th century the idea of an orbiting and rotating Earth became increasingly popular, but opponents of this view continued to point out that the theory had observable consequences that had never, in fact, been observed. Why, for…

The second Gaia data release (GDR2) provides precise five-parameter astrometric data (positions, proper motions and parallaxes) for an unprecedented amount of sources (more than $1.3$ billion, mostly stars). The use of this wealth of…

We present the first pulsar parallaxes measured with phase-referenced pulsar VLBI observations at 5 GHz. Due to the steep spectra of pulsars, previous astrometric measurements have been at lower frequencies. However, the strongest pulsars…