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A Cepheid distance to the Fornax cluster and the local expansion rate of the Universe

Nature volume 395, pages 47–50 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

Both galaxy distances and velocities are required for the determination of the expansion rate of the Universe, as described by the Hubble constant H0. The radial velocities of galaxies arise not just from this expansion but also from random components and large-scale flows. To reach out to distances dominated by the overall cosmic expansion, it is necessary to probe large physical scales where galaxy–galaxy and galaxy–cluster interactions become lessimportant. But accurate distances of nearby galaxies and clusters (commonly measured1 using Cepheid variable stars) are nevertheless required to calibrate the indirect distance indicators generally used to measure these large scales. Here we report aCepheid distance of 18.6 ± 1.9 (statistical error) ± 1.9 Mpc (systematic error) for the galaxy NGC1365 in Fornax, a cluster of galaxies in the Southern Hemisphere. We find a value of H0 = 70 km s−1 Mpc−1 from Fornax alone, and 73 km s−1 Mpc−1 from the intervening galaxy flow, each corrected for infall into the Virgo cluster. These values are consistent with the Hubble constant measured in the far field using secondary methods2. Our data support previous suggestions3,4,5 that the local small-scale velocity field has very small scatter (∼±70 km s−1).

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Figure 1: A comparison of the distribution of galaxies, drawn to scale, as projected on the sky for the Virgo cluster (right panel) and the Fornax cluster (left panel).
Figure 2: V- and I-band period–luminosity relations for the full set of 37 high-quality Cepheids monitored in NGC1365.
Figure 3: Relative geometry (left panel) and the corresponding velocity vectors (right panel) for the disposition and flow of the Fornax cluster and the Local Group with respect to the Virgo cluster.
Figure 4: The velocity–distance relation for local galaxies having Cepheid-based distances with well defined velocities.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NASA and the NSF, and made extensive use of the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED). Observations are based on data obtained using the Hubble Space Telescope which is operated by the Space Telescope Science Institute under contract from the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy. L.F. acknowledges support by NASA through a Hubble Fellowship grant awarded by the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for NASA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, 91125, California, USA

    Barry F. Madore

  2. Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington, 813 Santa Barbara Street, Pasadena, 91101, California, USA

    Wendy L. Freedman & Randy Phelps

  3. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, MS 100-22, Pasadena, 91125, California, USA

    N. Silbermann & Shoko Sakai

  4. Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, 85721, Arizona, USA

    Paul Harding

  5. Harvard-Smithsonian Insitute, Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, 02138, Massachusetts, USA

    John Huchra & Brad K. Gibson

  6. Mt Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories, Institute of Advanced Studies, Private Bag, Weston Creek Post Office, ACT, 2611, Australia

    Jeremy R. Mould

  7. Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institute of Washington, 5241 Broad Branch Road NW, Washington, 20015, DC, USA

    John A. Graham

  8. California Institute of Technology, MS 105-24 Robinson Laboratory, Pasadena, 91125, California, USA

    Laura Ferrarese

  9. Department of Astronomy, University of Wisconsin, 475 N. Charter Street, Madison, 53706, Wisconsin, USA

    Mingsheng Han & John G. Hoessel

  10. Royal Greenwich Observatory, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA, UK

    Shaun M. Hughes

  11. Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, 95064, California, USA

    Garth D. Illingworth

  12. Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, 5071 W. Saanich Road, Victoria, V8X 4M6, BC, Canada

    Peter Stetson

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  1. Barry F. Madore
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Correspondence to Barry F. Madore.

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Madore, B., Freedman, W., Silbermann, N. et al. A Cepheid distance to the Fornax cluster and the local expansion rate of the Universe. Nature 395, 47–50 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/25678

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