Parallaxes to Young Stars in Nearby Associations

Carnegie Institution Of Washington, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This is an observational project devoted to measuring the parallaxes of nearby low-mass stars in the Upper Sco and Chamaeleon I clusters. Low-mass stars, such as M0-M3 spectral types, are the focus because of their importance to stellar evolution and planet formation models, and because very few accurate distances are known for these spectral types, due to not being included in the Hipparcos mission and other surveys (due to being too faint for previous studies). The PI has obtained most of the necessary data and will use the CAPSCam at Las Campanas Observatory to get the rest of the observations. Broader impacts include training and mentoring a postdoctoral researcher, and undergraduate students participating in the Carnegie Summer Scholars program.