Clustering of Local Group distances: publication bias or correlated
  measurements? II. M31 and beyond
  The accuracy of extragalactic distance measurements ultimately depends on
robust, high-precision determinations of the distances to the galaxies in the
local volume. Following our detailed study addressing possible publication bias
in the published distance determinations to the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC),
here we extend our distance range of interest to include published distance
moduli to M31 and M33, as well as to a number of their well-known dwarf galaxy
companions. We aim at reaching consensus on the best, most homogeneous, and
internally most consistent set of Local Group distance moduli to adopt for
future, more general use based on the largest set of distance determinations to
individual Local Group galaxies available to date. Based on a careful,
statistically weighted combination of the main stellar population tracers
(Cepheids, RR Lyrae variables, and the magnitude of the tip of the red-giant
branch), we derive a recommended distance modulus to M31 of $(m-M)_0^{\rm M31}
= 24.46 \pm 0.10$ mag---adopting as our calibration an LMC distance modulus of
$(m-M)_0^{\rm LMC} = 18.50$ mag---and a fully internally consistent set of
benchmark distances to key galaxies in the local volume, enabling us to
establish a robust and unbiased, near-field extragalactic distance ladder.
