Technique · The Cosmic Distance Ladder
Standard Candles
Objects whose true brightness is known, so that how faint they appear gives their distance. Cepheid variables and Type Ia supernovae are the great standard candles that carry the distance ladder out into the universe.
The Cosmic Distance LadderMeasures: Distance from known luminosity
Highlights
- ›Known brightness plus apparent brightness gives distance
Knowledge connections
- Member of groupThe Cosmic Distance Ladder
- Associated withType Ia Supernova
- Associated withRR Lyrae Stars
- Associated withTip of the Red Giant Branch
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.