Abstract
The [O III] λ5007 planetary nebula luminosity function (PNLF) occupies an important place on the extragalactic distance ladder: it is the only standard candle that can be applied to all the large galaxies of the Local Supercluster. We review the method’s precision, and use it to show that the distance scale dened by Cepheids and the Surface Brightness Fluctuation method is likely too large by ~ 7%. We also discuss some of the physics underlying the phenomenon, and present clues as why the technique is so resilient.
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Ciardullo, R. (2006). The Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function. In: Stanghellini, L., Walsh, J.R., Douglas, N.G. (eds) Planetary Nebulae Beyond the Milky Way. ESO ASTROPHYSICS SYMPOSIA European Southern Observatory. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg . https://doi.org/10.1007/11604792_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11604792_10
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