Rachael L. Beaton

Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Observatories

Papers

Total Citations

130

H-Index

About

Rachael L. Beaton is an astronomer whose work bridges the gap between resolved stellar populations and the cosmic distance scale. Her research focuses on using variable stars—particularly RR Lyrae and Cepheids—as precise distance indicators, and on understanding galaxy formation through the study of stellar tidal streams. In her highly cited 2017 paper, she compiled multi-wavelength phased photometry for 55 Galactic field RR Lyrae variables, creating a foundational dataset with 75 citations that enables robust calibration of the distance ladder from optical to mid-infrared bands. Beaton also led the discovery of a giant stellar tidal stream around the interacting galaxy NGC 4631, published in 2015 with 55 citations, revealing a bridge-like feature that traces past galactic interactions and provides direct evidence for hierarchical assembly in nearby systems. Her work is instrumental in refining the Hubble constant and in mapping the dynamical histories of galaxies. As a key contributor to the Carnegie-Chicago Hubble Program, Beaton’s research continues to shape our understanding of stellar populations and the expansion rate of the universe.