| Abstract: | The present expansion rate of the Universe, the Hubble constant, is a key cosmological parameter which can provide stringent constraints for the nature of the dark energy that is known to be accelerating the cosmos. Currently, the Hubble constant values based on a variety of standard candles observed with the Gaia/Hubble/James Webb space telescopes and ground-based telescopes, are in an intriguing discord with the measurement from the Planck space mission. This so-called Hubble tension is most dominant at the ~5 sigma level between the Hubble constant values obtained using Cepheid-Supernovae distance ladder and the values inferred with the Cosmic Microwave Background observations from the Planck satellite pointing towards new physics in the cosmological model. I will review the latest local determinations of the Hubble constant based on stellar standard candles and discuss ongoing efforts to provide independent calibrations of the first-step of the distance ladder using stellar populations of different ages and metallicities, and their importance in evaluating the Hubble tension. |
