How has the maximum intrinsic brightness (minimum absolute magnitude)of Type Ia supernovae been measured?
A) The distances to nearby Type Ia supernovae have been measured using trigonometric parallax.
B) Type Ia supernovae have been observed in distant galaxies in which Cepheid variables have also been observed.
C) The brightnesses of Type Ia supernovae have been measured at several different wavelengths, from which their temperature and hence their intrinsic brightnesses can be calculated.
D) The brightnesses of several Type Ia supernovae have been accurately measured relative to the brightnesses of the original stars before they exploded.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Type Ia supernovae have been observed in distant galaxies in which Cepheid variables have also been observed. This allowed for the determination of the distance to the galaxy, which in turn allowed for the determination of the maximum intrinsic brightness (minimum absolute magnitude) of the Type Ia supernova in that galaxy. This method is known as the cosmic distance ladder.

How Has the Maximum Intrinsic Brightness (Minimum Absolute Magnitude)of Type