We present new CCD photometry for the globular cluster M55 that extends well below the main-sequence turnoff. Combining these new data with previously published photographic photometry of cluster giants and horizontal-branch stars yields a high-quality composite color-magnitude diagram (CMD). A comparison of the latter with recent CMDs for M68 and NGC 6752-two clusters whose metallicities bracket that of M55-suggests (1) that the reddening to M55 may be as high as E(B-V)=0.14mag, and (2) that all three systems have similar ages. In particular, if the apparent distance modulus to M55 is (m-M)_V_=14.10mag, then isochrones for Y=0.24 and high [O/Fe] would suggest an age of ~14Gyr. Very encouraging agreement of the observations with theoretical predictions is found.
We present wide-field and high-precision BV and Ca and Stroemgren by photometry of {omega} Centauri, which represents one of the most extensive photometric surveys to date for this cluster. The member stars of {omega} Cen are well discriminated from foreground Galactic field stars in the hk[=(Ca-b)-(b-y)] versus b-y diagram. The resulting "cleaned" color-magnitude diagram (CMD) has allowed us to obtain an accurate distribution of the red horizontal-branch (HB) and the asymptotic giant branch stars.
At the Universitaetssternwarte Bochum near Cerro Armazones we have monitored the Seyfert-1 galaxy 3C 120 between September 2014 and March 2015 in BVRI and a narrow band filter covering the redshifted H{alpha} line; in addition we obtained a single con-temporary spectrum with FAST at Mt. Hopkins. Compared to earlier epochs 3C 120 is about a factor of three brighter, allowing us to study the shape of the broad line region (BLR) and the dust torus in a high luminosity phase. The analysis of the light curves yields that the dust echo is rather sharp and symmetric in contrast to the more complex broad H{alpha} BLR echo. We investigate how far this supports an optically thick bowl-shaped BLR and dust torus geometry as proposed by Kawaguchi & Mori (2010ApJ...724L.183K) and Goad et al. (2012MNRAS.426.3086G). The comparison with several parameterizations of these models supports the following geometry: the BLR clouds lie inside the bowl closely above the bowl rim, up to a half covering angle 0{deg}<theta<40{deg} (measured against the equatorial plane). Then the BLR is spread over many isodelay surfaces, yielding a smeared and structured echo as observed. Furthermore, if the BLR clouds shield the bottom of the bowl rim against radiation from the nucleus, the hot dust emission comes essentially from the top edge of the bowl (40{deg}<theta< 45{deg}). Then, for small inclinations as for 3C120, the top dust edge forms a ring which largely coincides with a narrow range of isodelay surfaces, yielding the observed sharp dust echo. The scale height of the BLR increases with radial distance from the black hole. This leads to luminosity dependent foreshortening effects of the lag. We discuss implications and possible corrections of the foreshortening for the black hole mass determination and consequences for the lag (size) - luminosity relationships and the difference to interferometric torus sizes.
We present for the first time Washington CT_1_ photometry for 11 unstudied or poorly studied candidate star clusters. The selected objects are of small angular size, contain a handful of stars, and are projected towards the innermost regions of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The respective colour-magnitude diagrams (CMDs) were cleaned of the unavoidable star field contamination by taking advantage of a procedure which makes use of variable size CMD cells. This method has shown to be able to eliminate stochastic effects in the cluster CMDs caused by the presence of isolated bright stars, as well as to make a finer cleaning in the most populous CMD regions. Our results suggest that nearly one-third of the studied candidate star clusters would appear to be genuine physical systems.
We report on the detection of the first extragalactic, classical chemically peculiar (CP) stars more than 100 years after the discovery of this group. Using the tool of CCD {Delta}a-photometry, eight definite positive detections in the globular-like stellar cluster NGC 1866 and its surrounding in the Large Magellanic Cloud were made. More than 1950 objects within a radius of 9.5' of the cluster center down to 20.5 magnitude were observed in this three filter, narrow band photometric system. Averaging more than 70 individual frames for all three filters yielded a 3{sigma} detection limit of 0.015mag for stars with V=20mag. Furthermore we found three objects with significantly negative {Delta}a-values indicating either an Ae/shell or {lambda} Bootis nature. The overall percentage of chemically peculiar stars for NGC 1866 (1.5%) seems lower than for the majority of open clusters in our Milky Way whereas the incidence within the LMC field is decisively less (0.3%). For a description of the {Delta}a photometric system, see e.g. <GCPD/75>
The time scale on which chemical peculiarity in upper main sequence stars begins is unknown. Results from the Hipparcos measurements indicate that the classical chemically peculiar (CP) stars occupy the whole area from the zero age main sequence to the terminal age main sequence. Hubrig et al. (2000ApJ...539..352H) reported that the magnetic fields appear only in stars that have already completed at least approximately 30% of their main sequence life time. Previous observations in the very young Orion OB1 and Scorpio Centaurus associations reveal a percentage of chemically peculiar stars that is significantly smaller (less than 5%) than that of the galactic field (up to 25%). This already indicates that the phenomenon needs at least several Myr to appear. Since no further observations have been published since then, we have observed the five very young (1Myr<Age<25Myr) open clusters Collinder 272, Pismis 20, Lynga 14, NGC 6396 and NGC 6611. Photometry from 250 CCD frames in the three filter Delta a-system results in very low detection limits (0.008 to 0.015mag). We find no single photometrically chemically peculiar candidate in approximately 460 observed cluster members in the five program clusters. From the number of observed objects we deduce upper limits between 0.6% and 2.4% for the incidence of CP stars for the five observed aggregates.The tables presented here include all photometric observations of these five clusters. For a description of the (Delta a) photometric system, see e.g. <GCPD/75>: a = g2 - (g1+y)/2 g1 and g2 centered at 502 and 524nm.
We continue our survey of magnetic chemically peculiar (CP2) stars in galactic open clusters to shed more light on their origin and evolution. To study the group of CP2 stars, it is essential to find these objects in different galactic environments and at a wide range of evolutionary stages. The knowledge of open cluster ages and metallicities can help for finding a correlation between these parameters and the (non-)presence of peculiarities, which has to be taken into account in stellar evolution models. ************************************************************************** * * * Sorry, but the author(s) never supplied the tabular material * * announced in the paper * * * **************************************************************************
High accurate photometric data in the three filter, narrow band Delta a-system for five open clusters (NGC 2489, NGC 2567, NGC 2658, NGC 5281 and NGC 6208) are presented permitting one to detect apparent chemically peculiar stars. The ages and distances are wide spread to improve the statistics of peculiar stars in our Milky Way. A total of 235 stars within these clusters have been observed. We have detected ten apparent peculiar objects (six with significant positive and four with negative {Delta}a-values) in four open clusters. Although three of them within the boundaries of NGC 2567 are probably not members of this cluster. Since no Stromgren uvbybeta data are available from the literature, Johnson UB-Vphotometry was used to test and calibrate our photometric data. The results from a comparison of both systems are excellent. The tables presented here include all photometric observations of these five clusters. For a description of the {Delta}a photometric system, see e.g. <GCPD/75>
We have investigated 1008 objects in the area of five intermediate age open clusters (NGC 2099, NGC 3114, NGC 6204, NGC 6705 and NGC 6756) via the narrow band {Delta}a-system. The detection limit for photometric peculiarity is very low (always less than 0.009mag) due to the high number of individual frames used (193 in total). We have detected six peculiar objects in NGC 6705 and NGC 6756 from which one in the latter is almost certainly an unreddened late type foreground star. The remaining five stars are probably cluster members and bona fide chemically peculiar objects (two are {lambda} Bootis type candidates). Furthermore, we have investigated NGC 3114, a cluster for which already photoelectric {Delta}a-measurements exist. A comparison of the CCD and photoelectric values shows very good agreement. Again, the high capability of our CCD {Delta}a-photometric system to sort out true peculiar objects together with additional measurements from broad or intermediate band photometry is demonstrated.
In total, more than 550 objects within the fields of five open clusters (NGC 2439, NGC 3960, NGC 6134, NGC 6192 and NGC 6451) were investigated in order to find classical chemically peculiar stars. One bona-fide CP candidate was detected in each of the open clusters NGC 3960, NGC 6192 and NGC 6451. All three objects seem to be members of the corresponding cluster taking the results from our photometry as well as from the literature. For NGC 6192 and NGC 6451 we found widely different interstellar reddening values and therefore distances and ages in the literature. From an analysis of published Johnson UBVRI photometry, we were able to rule out a rather old age for NGC 6451. This is also supported by the finding of one peculiar object in this cluster with spectral type of about A2. Five variable objects within the field of NGC 6134 were detected. The variability exceeds 10 times (or typically 0.03 mag) the standard deviation of the weighted individual measurements. But since our observations were obtained mostly during one hour (typical integration times of five minutes per filter) on several nights within 45 days, no light curves could yet be derived. For this cluster some Am candidates were reported for which we were not able to detect a significant positive {Delta} a-value. For a description of the {Delta}a photometric system, see e.g. <GCPD/75>
