Testing the Supernova, Cepheid, and Early-type Galaxy Distance Scales

Abstract

I summarize recent work comparing relative distances measured to individual galaxies with independent methods. The comparisons include: ground-based surface brightness fluctuation (SBF) and fundamental plane distances to 170 galaxies, distances predicted from galaxy velocities and the inferred gravity field, HST SBF measurements to seven early-type hosts of Type Ia supernovae, and ties of the Cepheid distance scale to early-type galaxies. Independent calibrations for some methods provide interesting constraints on the Cepheid zero point.