Related papers: The DIRECT Project
Many clues about the galaxy assembly process lurk in the faint outer regions of galaxies. The low surface brightnesses of these parts pose a significant challenge for studies of diffuse light, and few robust constraints on galaxy formation…
Here we discuss impacts of distance determinations on the Galactic disk traced by relatively young objects. The Galactic disk, about 40 kpc in diameter, is a cross-road of studies on the methods of measuring distances, interstellar…
Direct searches for Dark Matter are experiment dedicated to the observation of the energetic recoiling ions produced by the scattering of WIMP particles from our galactic halo on terrestrial targets. The status and prospects of some…
Extragalactic Cepheids are the basic rungs of the cosmic distance scale. They are excellent standard candles, although their luminosities and corresponding distance estimates can be affected by the particular properties of the host galaxy.…
Space-based direct imaging missions (HabEx, LUVOIR) would observe reflected light from exoplanets in the habitable zones of Sun-like stars. The ultimate---but not sole---goal of these concept missions is to characterize such planets.…
The advantages of a near-infrared variant of the Barnes-Evans method for estimating distances to Cepheid variables are described and quantified. A surface brightness-color relation for $K$ photometry and the $(V-K)_0$ color index is…
The accuracy of stellar masses and radii determined from asteroseismology is not known! We examine this issue for giant stars by comparing classical measurements of detached eclipsing binary systems (dEBs) with asteroseismic measurements…
We measured the angular rotation and proper motion of the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) with the Very Long Baseline Array by observing two H2O masers on opposite sides of the galaxy. By comparing the angular rotation rate with the inclination and…
Direct imaging surveys for exoplanets commonly exclude binary stars from their target lists, leaving a large part of the overall planet demography unexplored. To address this gap in our understanding of planet formation and evolution, we…
We present Period-Luminosity Relations (PLRs) for 55 Cepheids in M31 with periods ranging from 4 to 78 days observed with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) using the same three-band photometric system recently used to calibrate their…
We present the results of our spectroscopic observations of eight detached eclipsing binaries (DEBs), selected from the $Kepler$ Eclipsing Binary Catalog. Radial velocities (RVs) were calculated from high resolution spectra obtained with…
The accuracy of extragalactic distance measurements ultimately depends on robust, high-precision determinations of the distances to the galaxies in the local volume. Following our detailed study addressing possible publication bias in the…
This paper introduces a statistical treatment to use Cepheid variable stars as distance indicators. The expansion rate of the Universe is also studied here through deriving the value of the Hubble constant H0. A Gaussian function…
Surface brightness -- colour relations (SBCRs) are very useful tools for predicting the angular diameters of stars. They offer the possibility to calculate very precise spectrophotometric distances by the eclipsing binary method or the…
Massive stars play a crucial role in the cosmic dynamics and chemical evolution of galaxies, however our understanding of their evolution and properties remains limited. An accurate determination of stellar parameters is essential for…
In the era of precision cosmology, it is essential to empirically determine the Hubble constant with an accuracy of one per cent or better. At present, the uncertainty on this constant is dominated by the uncertainty in the calibration of…
Distances to stars are key to revealing a three-dimensional view of the Milky Way, yet their determination is a major challenge in astronomy. Whilst the brightest nearby stars benefit from direct parallax measurements, fainter stars are…
The next generation of ground- and space-based observatories will enable direct imaging and characterization of cold, mature planets through thermal emission and, for the first time, reflected light detection. Known RV and astrometrically…
Future dark energy space missions such as JDEM and EUCLID are being designed to survey the galaxy population to trace the geometry of the universe and the growth of structure, which both depend on the cosmological model. To reach the goal…
This paper is devoted to exploring how we can discover and study nearby (< 1-2 kpc) planetary and binary systems by observing their action as gravitational lenses. Lensing can extend the realm of nearby binaries and planets that can be…