The metallicity sensitivity of a surface brightness temperature scale

To obtain the accuracy now sought in the extragalactic distance scale through standard candles and rulers, calibration of stellar photometry must be improved. The sensitivity of the V-K color surface brightness relation is examined here by means of model atmosphere fluxes. It has previously been neglected, but is shown here to be a significant term in the error budget of a recent high precision distance of the Large Magellanic Cloud, an anchor in galaxy distances based on Cepheids.