A first view with GAIA on KIC 8462852 - distance estimates and a comparison to other F stars

TL;DR

This paper compares Gaia parallax-based distance estimates with luminosity-based estimates for KIC 8462852, finding good agreement and highlighting the potential for future Gaia data to refine its luminosity and understand its nature.

Contribution

It provides the first comparison of Gaia DR1 parallax data with luminosity estimates for KIC 8462852, constraining its distance and ruling out some extreme theories.

Findings

Gaia DR1 yields a distance of approximately 391 pc.

Luminosity-based distance estimate is around 454 pc.

Both estimates agree within 1 sigma, constraining theoretical scenarios.

Abstract

Distance estimates from Gaia parallax and expected luminosities are compared for KIC 8462852. Gaia DR1 yields a parallax of $2.55\pm0.31$mas, that is a distance of $391.4\substack{+53.6 \\ -42.0}$pc, or $391.4\substack{+122.1 \\ -75.2}$pc including systematic uncertainty. The distance estimate based on the absolute magnitude of an F3V star and measured reddening is $\sim454\pm35$pc. Both estimates agree within $<1\sigma$, which only excludes some of the most extreme theorized scenarios for KIC 8462852. Future Gaia data releases will determine the distance to within 1% and thus allow for the determination a precise absolute luminosity.