ScholarLens Back to search
1976•Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical SocietyOpen access

The Old Open Cluster Melotte 66

T. G. Hawarden

Open full text 15 citations

Abstract

Photoelectric and photographic photometry of the open cluster Melotte 66 is presented. The CM diagram shows most of the characteristics of an old cluster. The giant branch is broad with its blue edge populated preferentially by stars from the outer parts of the cluster. There is no detectable horizontal subgiant sequence. The main sequence turn-off colour, two-colour diagram and the colour difference between the turn-off and the subgiants are used to estimate the age and composition. Melotte 66 appears to have reddening E(B–V) = 0m.17 and ultraviolet excess |$\delta(U-B) \sim 0^{\text{m}.}1$| corresponding to [Fe/H]⊙ = –0·3. The cluster is probably between 6 and |$7 \times 10^{9}$| yr old. A distance modulus |$(m-M)_{0} = 12^{\text{m}.}4$| is derived, which implies that the cluster lies about 750 pc from the galactic plane.

Open-access reader

About this research paper

What this paper is about

Photoelectric and photographic photometry of the open cluster Melotte 66 is presented. The CM diagram shows most of the characteristics of an old cluster. The giant branch is broad with its blue edge populated preferentially by stars from the outer parts of the cluster. There is no detectable horizontal subgiant sequence. The main sequence turn-off colour, two-colour diagram and the colour difference between the turn-off and the subgiants are used to estimate the age and composition. Melotte 66 appears to have reddening E(B–V) = 0m.17 and ultraviolet excess |$\delta(U-B) \sim 0^{\text{m}.}1$| corresponding to [Fe/H]⊙ = –0·3. The cluster is probably between 6 and |$7 \times 10^{9}$| yr old. A distance modulus |$(m-M)_{0} = 12^{\text{m}.}4$| is derived, which implies that the cluster lies about 750 pc from the galactic plane.

Why it matters

OpenAlex reports 15 citations for this work. Citation counts describe recorded attention and do not establish research quality.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

Photoelectric and photographic photometry of the open cluster Melotte 66 is presented. The CM diagram shows most of the characteristics of an old cluster. The giant branch is broad with its blue edge populated preferentially by stars from the outer parts of the cluster. There is no detectable horizontal subgiant sequence. The main sequence turn-off colour, two-colour diagram and the colour difference between the turn-off and the subgiants are used to estimate the age and composition. Melotte 66 appears to have reddening E(B–V) = 0m.17 and ultraviolet excess |$\delta(U-B) \sim 0^{\text{m}.}1$| corresponding to [Fe/H]⊙ = –0·3. The cluster is probably between 6 and |$7 \times 10^{9}$| yr old. A distance modulus |$(m-M)_{0} = 12^{\text{m}.}4$| is derived, which implies that the cluster lies about 750 pc from the galactic plane.

Key concepts: Physics, Subgiant, Distance modulus, Open cluster, Astrophysics, Photometry (optics), Cluster (spacecraft), Diagram

Related papers

Related paper 1Related paper 2Related paper 3
Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
The Old Open Cluster Melotte 66 — Research Paper | ScholarLens