PARAMETERS OF THE JHK LIGHT CURVES FOR CLASSICAL CEPHEIDS AND THE INTERSTELLAR EXTINCTION LAW

Based on published infrared observations of Cepheids, we have compiled a homogeneous catalog of parameters of their light curves in the JHK bands of the CIT system. This catalog is used to determine the total-t o-selective extinction ratio R(lambda) = A(lambda)/E(B-V) in UBVRIJNK. The derived ratio in V, R(V) = 3.26 +/- 0.02, exceeds the correspondi ng value for blue supergiants by only a slight amount, casting doubt o n the conclusions reached by a number of authors that R(V) depends str ongly on stellar spectral type.