If we know the intrinsic brightness of an object in space - that is, how bright an object really is - then we can estimate its distance from how bright it appears to us from Earth.
<ul>
<li>One type of standard candle is a &#39;Cepheid variable&#39;. Cepheid variables are a type of star that has a consistent relationship between their intrinsic brightness and how fast they pulsate. (If it pulsates at x speed, you know its intrinsic brightness is y.)</li>
<li>Supernovae is another kind of standard candle and allows astronomers to calculate to the standard candle&#39;s home galaxy.</li>
</ul>

The standard candle method

The &#39;Hubble-Lemaître&#39; law is more useful for calculating distant galaxies. The law shows that the further the galaxy is from Earth, the faster it moves away from us - the consequence of the Universe expanding.
The galaxy&#39;s speed is measured by analysing the shift in the galaxy&#39;s light towards the red end of its light spectrum. Once the speed is known, astronomers can work out its distance.

The ‘Hubble-Lemaître’ law

There are a few different methods, but one of the most common is the ‘standard candle’ method. This relies on the fact that if we know how bright an object in space really is (its ‘intrinsic’ brightness), then we can estimate its distance from how bright it appears to us from Earth (its ‘apparent’ brightness).A ‘Cepheid variable’&nbsp;is one type of standard candle. Cepheid variables are a type of star that have a consistent relationship between their intrinsic brightness and how fast they pulsate – so you can watch one, and if it pulsates at x speed, you know its intrinsic brightness is y.Measuring the intrinsic brightness of a Cepheid variable, or other kinds of standard candles such as supernovae, allows astronomers to calculate the distance to the standard candle’s home galaxy.For the most distant galaxies, standard candles are too faint to be useful, so astronomers often use the ‘Hubble-Lemaître’ law, which shows that the further a galaxy is from Earth, the faster it is moving away from us. This is just a consequence of the fact that the Universe is expanding.Astronomers first measure the speed of the galaxy by analysing the shift in the galaxy’s light towards the red end of its light spectrum (its ‘redshift’), and once its speed is known, they can work out its distance.Read more:<img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2021/02/Feb-360-banners-940x530px-07785ca.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=940,530" srcset="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2021/02/Feb-360-banners-940x530px-07785ca.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=720, https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/how-do-we-calculate-distances-to-other-galaxies/405 720w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2021/02/Feb-360-banners-940x530px-07785ca.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=576, https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/how-do-we-calculate-distances-to-other-galaxies/324 576w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2021/02/Feb-360-banners-940x530px-07785ca.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=360, https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/how-do-we-calculate-distances-to-other-galaxies/202 360w, https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/4/2021/02/Feb-360-banners-940x530px-07785ca.jpg?quality=90&amp;resize=180, https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/how-do-we-calculate-distances-to-other-galaxies/101 180w, " width="260" height="146" alt="Feb 360 banners-940x530px" title="Feb 360 banners-940x530px"><UL><LI>Pay by Direct Debit and save 50%*</LI><LI>Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery</LI></UL>

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

education

Learning & Education

books

Books

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

space

Space

There are a few different methods, but one of the most common is the ‘standard candle’ method. This relies on the fact that if we know how bright an object in space really is (its ‘intrinsic’ brightness), then we can estimate its distance from how bright it appears to us from Earth (its ‘apparent’ brightness).

A ‘Cepheid variable’ is one type of standard candle. Cepheid variables are a type of star that have a consistent relationship between their intrinsic brightness and how fast they pulsate – so you can watch one, and if it pulsates at x speed, you know its intrinsic brightness is y.

Measuring the intrinsic brightness of a Cepheid variable, or other kinds of standard candles such as supernovae, allows astronomers to calculate the distance to the standard candle’s home galaxy.

For the most distant galaxies, standard candles are too faint to be useful, so astronomers often use the ‘Hubble-Lemaître’ law, which shows that the further a galaxy is from Earth, the faster it is moving away from us. This is just a consequence of the fact that the Universe is expanding.

Astronomers first measure the speed of the galaxy by analysing the shift in the galaxy’s light towards the red end of its light spectrum (its ‘redshift’), and once its speed is known, they can work out its distance.

<ul><li>Pay by Direct Debit and save 50%* </li><li>Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery </li> </ul>

How do we calculate distances to other galaxies?

The standard candle method

The ‘Hubble-Lemaître’ law

CURATED BY

Related collections

More like this