Which distance indicator can be used to measure the most distant objects?
A) Cepheids
B) Parallax
C) Type Ia supernovae
D) Main-sequence fitting

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Type Ia supernovae are extremely luminous and can be seen at very large distances. Because they all reach a similar peak brightness, they can be used as standard candles to measure distances to extremely distant objects. In contrast, Cepheids have a maximum distance range of about 100 Mpc, parallax can only measure nearby objects, and main-sequence fitting is limited by uncertainties in the ages and metallicities of the stars being compared.

Which Distance Indicator Can Be Used to Measure the Most