How are Cepheid variables used to determine distance?

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All Cepheid variables with the same period have nearly the same intrinsic brightness, but their apparent brightnesses differ because they are at different distances. By observing a Cepheid's period, one can determine how bright it actually is. By comparing this intrinsic brightness to how bright it appears to be, one can determine the star's distance. Thus Cepheids are important indicators of interstellar and intergalactic distances, and they have been called the "yardsticks of the universe." ...

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Similar questions: How does brightness in Cepheid variables relate to distance? How do Cepheid variables measure distance? Can Cepheid variables accurately determine distance? Why are Cepheid variables called yardsticks of the universe? [ Hide these questions ]

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