Reddening free distance determination via Cepheid variables

A long-term project initiated four years ago with the aim of establishing a consistent set of distances founded on ground-based photometry of Cepheid variables in the nearest late-type galaxies in the Local Group, or just beyond it is reported on. An application is presented to three Local Group galaxies (NGC 3109, Sextans A and Sextans B) of the method for studying the foreground plus internal extinction based on multicolor photometry of Cepheid variables.