The Distances to Nearby Galaxies from Near-Infrared Photometry of Cepheids

Abstract Near-infrared photometry of Cepheid variables in the Local Group galaxies, NGC 6822, IC 1613, and M33, and in the M81 Group galaxy, NGC 2403 has been used to determine new, independent distances to these objects, which are almost unaffected by dust extinction and by differences in metallicities among the galaxies.