Astronomical Archives: Finding Distances to Stars

  • Thread starter Skyler0114
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In summary, The speaker has been working on determining the distance of massive star formation regions from the earth and is looking for an easier way to do so, potentially through a website or catalog. They have come across the SAO Star Catalog and are asking for suggestions on other resources. They have already sifted through a lot of literature and found 50-70 potential candidates, but are still looking for a more definitive method.
  • #1
Skyler0114
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I've been doing a lot of work with massive star formation regions the last few months, and right now I'm trying to find an easy way to determine most their distance from the earth. By easy I mean if there is anywhere that might have it in their records, like the CDS astronomical archive has a bunch of info on record. If not I am going to have to sift through large amounts of literature so if anybody knows any list of stars or objects that includes distances I'd love to learn about a new website.
 
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  • #3
davenn said:
did you even actually try and google your requirement ? :smile:

the best star catalog is probably the SAO Star Catalog
http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/catalogs/sao.html

regards
Dave

Thanks Dave,
I've been looking at so much literature at this point I don't remember what I tried searching. In the last week and a half I've located at least 50-70 msfr, and have far more potential candidates I have yet to sort out, and the only really definitive way I have been able to confirm if my targets fit the criteria is by reading the literature.
 

FAQ: Astronomical Archives: Finding Distances to Stars

How do astronomers determine the distance to a star?

Astronomers use a variety of techniques to determine the distance to a star, including parallax, spectroscopy, and standard candles. Parallax involves measuring the shift in a star's position as the Earth orbits the sun, while spectroscopy involves analyzing the star's light to determine its luminosity. Standard candles are objects with known luminosities, such as certain types of stars, that can be used to estimate distances.

What is parallax and how is it used to find distances to stars?

Parallax is the apparent shift in the position of an object when viewed from different perspectives. Astronomers use this principle to measure the distance to stars by observing their position from opposite sides of the Earth's orbit around the sun. By comparing the two measurements, the distance to the star can be calculated using simple trigonometry.

What are standard candles and how do they help in finding distances to stars?

Standard candles are objects with known luminosities that can be used as a reference to estimate the distances to other objects, such as stars. By comparing the apparent brightness of a standard candle to its known luminosity, astronomers can calculate the distance to the object based on the inverse square law of light.

How does spectroscopy help in finding distances to stars?

Spectroscopy involves analyzing the light emitted from a star to determine its chemical composition and other properties. By studying the spectrum of a star, astronomers can estimate its luminosity, which can then be used to calculate its distance using the inverse square law of light.

Can all stars be used to determine distances using astronomical archives?

No, not all stars can be used to determine distances using astronomical archives. Only stars that have known luminosities or can be observed using parallax or spectroscopy techniques can be used to accurately calculate their distances. Other stars may have unknown or variable luminosities, making it difficult to determine their distances using these methods.

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