Which step immediately follows determining the Period of a Cepheid variable for distance measurement?
Answer
Determining intrinsic brightness using Leavitt's Law
The methodology for determining cosmic distances using Cepheids is a linear, five-step process. After identifying the marker star and successfully measuring its cycle time (the Period), the next essential task is to determine its true power output, known as the Absolute Magnitude. This determination is achieved specifically by applying Leavitt's established Period-Luminosity Relation to the measured period. Only after this intrinsic brightness is established can the star's apparent brightness be used in conjunction with the inverse-square law to calculate the final distance.
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