Variable stars, distance scale, globular clusters

Abstract

Current state of the variable stars studies, including halo and globular-cluster variables is briefly discussed, as well as the halo kinematics and modern problems of the Universal distance scale. I propose new approach to the projection factor (PF) calculation which takes into account its variation with limb darkening, photosphere velocity and the intrinsic line width of the spectrograph used for radial velocity measurements. Simple analytic approximation for PF is given, useful for estimates of the pulsating variables radii via Baade-Wesselink-Balona technique.