The derivation of absolute magnitudes from proper motions and radial velocities and the calibration of the H.R. diagram II.
Abstract
We discuss a method of deriving statistical parallaxes based on the principle of maximum likelihood. Checks made with the aid of trigonometric parallax stars and by means of numerical experiments show this method to be more reliable than the usual methods. Its application to stars in the Bright Stars Catalogue results in a new calibration of the H.R. diagram, based on proper motions and radial velocities only. We derive from these data an estimation of both the mean absolute maguitude and the dispersion of the absolute magnitudes for each spectral type. The luminosity of early-type stars derived from cluster parallaxes and distance moduli of associations is conirmed, but late-type giants appear to be brighter than it is generally assumed. Key words: absolute magnitudes - statistical parallaxes
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- February 1970
- Bibcode:
- 1970A&A.....4...53J