Distances within Local Group
Distance to the Galactic center
The only absolute distance estimator
for the Galactic center are the water masers in star forming regions in SgrB2.
In this case, we use the statistical parallax method: radial velocity and
proper motions.
The relative distance estimators that can be used are
- RR Lyrae in globular clusters (one looks for the maximum
density of halo globular clusters. This point should coincide with the location
of the Galactic center).
- RR Lyrae in the bulge
- Cepheids
water masers
|
7.2 +/- 0.7 kpc
|
RR Lyrae
|
7.8 +/- 0.4 kpc
|
Globular clusters
|
8.0 +/- 0.8 kpc
|
Cepheids
|
8.0 +/- 0.5 kpc
|