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The Planetary Nebula Luminosity Function

  • Conference paper
Planetary Nebulae Beyond the Milky Way

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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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, 525 Davey Lab, University Park, PA, 16803, USA

    Robin Ciardullo

Authors
  1. Robin Ciardullo
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NOAO, 950 N Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA

    L. Stanghellini

  2. European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, Garching, 85748, Germany

    J. R. Walsh

  3. Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, 800, Groningen, AV, 9700, The Netherlands

    N. G. Douglas

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© 2006 Springer

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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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