A geometric determination of the distance to the Galactic center

被引:281
作者
Eisenhauer, F
Schödel, R
Genzel, R
Ott, T
Tecza, M
Abuter, R
Eckart, A
Alexander, T
机构
[1] Max Planck Inst Extraterr Phys, D-85741 Garching, Germany
[2] Univ Calif Berkeley, Dept Phys, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
[3] Univ Cologne, Inst Phys 1, D-50937 Cologne, Germany
[4] Weizmann Inst Sci, Fac Phys, IL-76100 Rehovot, Israel
关键词
galaxies : distances and redshifts; Galaxy : center; Galaxy : fundamental parameters Galaxy : structure;
D O I
10.1086/380188
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
We report new astrometric and spectroscopic observations of the star S2 orbiting the massive black hole in the Galactic center that were taken at the ESO VLT with the adaptive optics-assisted, near-IR camera NAOS/CONICA and the near-IR integral field spectrometer SPIFFI. We use these data to determine all the orbital parameters of the star with high precision, including the Sun-Galactic center distance, which is a key parameter for calibrating stellar standard candles and an important rung in the extragalactic distance ladder. Our deduced value of R-0=7.94+/-0.24 kpc is the most accurate primary distance measurement to the center of the Milky Way and has minimal systematic uncertainties of astrophysical origin. It is in excellent agreement with other recent determinations of R-0.
引用
收藏
页码:L121 / L124
页数:4
相关论文
共 24 条
  • [1] Proper motion of the compact, nonthermal radio source in the Galactic center Sagittarius A*
    Backer, DC
    Sramek, RA
    [J]. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1999, 524 (02) : 805 - 815
  • [2] THE DISTANCE TO THE GALACTIC-CENTER OBTAINED BY INFRARED PHOTOMETRY OF RR LYRAE VARIABLES
    CARNEY, BW
    FULBRIGHT, JP
    TERNDRUP, DM
    SUNTZEFF, NB
    WALKER, AR
    [J]. ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL, 1995, 110 (04) : 1674 - 1685
  • [3] Analysis of isoplanatic high resolution stellar fields by the StarFinder code
    Diolaiti, E
    Bendinelli, O
    Bonaccini, D
    Close, L
    Currie, D
    Parmeggiani, G
    [J]. ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES, 2000, 147 (02): : 335 - 346
  • [4] Imaging the universe in 3D with the VLT:: the next generation field spectrometer SPIFFI
    Eisenhauer, F
    Tecza, M
    Mengel, S
    Thatte, N
    Röhrle, C
    Bickert, K
    Schreiber, J
    [J]. OPTICAL AND IR TELESCOPE INSTRUMENTATION AND DETECTORS, PTS 1 AND 2, 2000, 4008 : 289 - 297
  • [5] Galactic kinematics of cepheids from Hipparcos proper motions
    Feast, M
    Whitelock, P
    [J]. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, 1997, 291 (04) : 683 - 693
  • [6] The stellar cusp around the supermassive black hole in the galactic center
    Genzel, R
    Schödel, R
    Ott, T
    Eisenhauer, F
    Hofmann, R
    Lehnert, M
    Eckart, A
    Alexander, T
    Sternberg, A
    Lenzen, R
    Clénet, Y
    Lacombe, F
    Rouan, D
    Renzini, A
    Tacconi-Garman, LE
    [J]. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 2003, 594 (02) : 812 - 832
  • [7] Stellar dynamics in the Galactic Centre: proper motions and anisotropy
    Genzel, R
    Pichon, C
    Eckart, A
    Gerhard, OE
    Ott, T
    [J]. MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, 2000, 317 (02) : 348 - 374
  • [8] The first measurement of spectral lines in a short-period star bound to the Galaxy's central black hole:: A paradox of youth
    Ghez, AM
    Duchêne, G
    Matthews, K
    Hornstein, SD
    Tanner, A
    Larkin, J
    Morris, M
    Becklin, EE
    Salim, S
    Kremenek, T
    Thompson, D
    Soifer, BT
    Neugebauer, G
    McLean, I
    [J]. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 2003, 586 (02) : L127 - L131
  • [9] GHEZ AM, 2003, UNPUB APJ
  • [10] CONICA: The high resolution near-infrared camera for the ESO VLT
    Lenzen, R
    Hofmann, R
    Bizenberger, P
    Tusche, A
    [J]. INFRARED ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTATION, PTS 1-2, 1998, 3354 : 606 - 614