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| Paper: |
Envisioning the Distance Ladder in the Era of the Habitable Worlds Observatory |
| Monograph: |
10, HWO25 Proceedings Part I: Community Science Case Development Documents |
| Page: |
85 |
| Authors: |
Gagandeep Anand; Meredith Durbin; Rachael Beaton |
| DOI: |
10.26624/AYZA1959 |
| Abstract: |
The current state-of-the-art cosmic distance ladder requires three rungs—geometric distances, primary
indicators, and Type Ia Supernovae—to achieve a 1% measurement of the Hubble constant (H0). The Habitable Worlds Observatory will have the sensitivity and resolution to reduce this to a two-step measurement,
eliminating the third rung entirely and reaching into the Hubble flow with stellar distance indicators such
as Cepheid variables and the tip of the red giant branch alone. We discuss the requirements for a program
to measure H0 to 1% with HWO here, including telescope and instrument design considerations. We also
comment on the potential of HWO to measure distances to low-mass dwarf galaxies via their RR Lyrae stars. |
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