Concerning S$H_0$ES Data: Discrepant $W_{0,VI}$ Absolute Magnitudes for Cepheids in the Keystone Galaxy NGC4258

Abstract

S$H_0$ES $VI$-band photometry for classical Cepheids in the keystone galaxy NGC4258 yield discrepant absolute magnitudes. Specifically, the 2016 and 2022 published S$H_0$ES Cepheid data for NGC4258 exhibit a substantial offset of $\Delta W_{0,VI}\simeq0^{\rm m}.3$. That adds to a suite of existing concerns associated with the S$H_0$ES analysis, which in sum imply that their relatively non-changing Hubble constant for nearly twenty years warrants scrutiny.