We are in the midst of the NRAO Key Science Project to determine the most accurate trigonometric parallax to the Pleiades cluster and hence resolve the "Pleiades distance controversy". We have already obtained a parallax for the cluster member HII1136 (D=138.6+/-1.2 pc) that provides compelling evidence that the Hipparcos Pleiades distance is wrong. To provide irrefutable evidence that this is indeed the case, we must complete parallax measurements for all 10 of our sources and hence obtain the most accurate and direct distance measurement to the Pleiades cluster. Based on source detection statistics obtained to date, we request an extension to the original project allocation that will allow all necessary parallax measurements to be made.
Name | Institution |
---|---|
Geoffrey Bower | Academia Sinica |
Amy Mioduszewski | National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
John Stauffer | California Institute of Technology |
Mark Reid | Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian |
Carl Melis * | California at San Diego, University of |
GBT Operator | Green Bank Observatory |
vlbaops vlbaops | National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
vlbiobs vlbiobs | National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
* indicates the PI