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Description
We present uvby{beta} CCD photometry of the central region of the double cluster h&{chi} Persei. We identify =~350 stars, of which 214 were not included in Oosterhof's catalogue. Our magnitude limit V=16.5 allows us to reach early F spectral type and obtain very accurate fits to the ZAMS. We derive reddening values of E(b-y)=0.44+/-0.02 for h Persei and E(b-y)=0.39+/-0.05 for {chi} Persei. From the ZAMS fitting, we derive distance moduli V_0_-M_V_=11.66+/-0.20 and V_0_-M_V_=11.56+/-0.20 for h and {chi} Persei respectively. These values are perfectly compatible with both clusters being placed at the same distance and having identical reddenings. The shift in the main-sequence turnoff and isochrone fitting, however, show that there is a significant age difference between both clusters, with the bulk of stars in h Persei being older than {chi} Persei. There is, however, a significant population of stars in h Persei which are younger than {chi} Persei. All this argues for at least three different epochs of star formation, corresponding approximately to logt=7.0, 7.15 and 7.3.
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