A moving group of young stars in Carina–Vela

Accurate two-colour photometry and proper motions of 7096 young X-ray stars in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey Bright Star Catalogue, version 1RXS, are extracted from the Tycho-2 Catalogue. The sample is dominated by red main-sequence and possibly pre-main-sequence stars. On a global proper motion convergence map, two features are very prominent: the nearby section of the Gould Belt and the Hyades convergent point. The appearance of the Gould Belt feature with its peak at ( l =2443, b =−126) is quite similar to that of Hipparcos OB stars. When only stars with proper motions drawing close to that point are selected, strong concentrations of stars in the direction of the Sco–Cen complex are found. Another concentration, not corresponding to any known OB association, is detected between the position of the Lower Centaurus Crux and Vela OB2 associations. It is a new young moving group located in Carina and Vela, and a near extension of the Sco–Cen complex. Contrary to the classical Gould Belt OB associations, the Carina–Vela moving group has a considerable geometric depth, the closest members being as near as 30 pc from the Sun. IC 2391, one of the youngest and closest open clusters on the sky, is a part of the Carina–Vela moving group. The Carina–Vela moving group does not link the Sco–Cen complex with the Vela OB associations, because the latter is much more distant than the outer limit of the sample. It is more likely that the young late-type population of the Scorpio–Centaurus–Carina moving group stretches towards the Sun and possibly beyond it.     

Early-A stars from IPHAS, and their distribution in and around the Cyg OB2 association

Stellar photometry derived from the INT/WFC Photometric Hα Survey (IPHAS) of the Northern Galactic plane can be used to identify large, reliable samples of A0–A5 stars. For every A-type star, so identified, it is also possible to derive individual reddening and distance estimates, under the assumption that most selected objects are on or near the main sequence, at a mean absolute r ' magnitude of 1.5–1.6. This study presents the method for obtaining such samples and shows that the known reddenings and distances to the open clusters NGC 7510 and NGC 7790 are successfully recovered. A sample of over 1000 A-type stars is then obtained from IPHAS data in the magnitude range  13.5 < r ' < 20  from the region of sky including the massive northern OB association Cyg OB2. An analysis of these data reveals a concentration of ∼200 A stars over an area about a degree across, offset mainly to the south of the known 1–3 Myr old OB stars in Cyg OB2: their dereddened r ' magnitudes fall in the range 11.8–12.5. These are consistent with a ∼7 Myr old stellar population at distance modulus DM = 10.8, or with an age of ∼5 Myr at DM = 11.2. The number of A-type stars found in this clustering alone is consistent with a lower limit to the cluster mass of  ∼10⁴ M_⊙  .     

The young open cluster NGC 2129

The first charge-coupled device   UBV ( RI )_C  photometric study in the area of the doubtful open cluster NGC 2129 is presented. Photometry of a field offset 15 arcmin northwards is also provided, to probe the Galactic disc population towards the cluster. Using star counts, proper motions from the UCAC2 catalogue, colour–magnitude and colour–colour diagrams, we demonstrate that NGC 2129 is a young open cluster. The cluster radius is 2.5 arcmin, and across this region we find evidence of significant differential reddening, although the reddening law seems to be normal towards its direction. Updated estimates of the cluster fundamental parameters are provided. The mean reddening is found to be   E ( B − V ) = 0.80 ± 0.08  and the distance modulus is  ( m − M )₀= 11.70 ± 0.30  . Hence, NGC 2129 is located at 2.2 ± 0.2 kpc from the Sun inside the Local spiral arm. The age derived from 37 photometrically selected members is estimated to be approximately 10 Myr. These stars are used to provide new estimates of the cluster absolute proper-motion components.     

NGC 2587: a sparse open cluster projected on to a populous star field

We present CCD photometry in the Johnson U , B and V and Kron–Cousins I passbands for the open cluster NGC 2587. The sample consists of 4406 stars reaching down to   V ∼ 21.0  . We developed a new method to clean statistically the colour–magnitude diagrams. NGC 2587 appears to be a sparse, relatively bright open cluster, with a few tens of members projected on to a populous star field. The comparatively bright F7/8 II type star HD 70927, located close to the cluster centre, seems not to be a member. Our analysis suggests that NGC 2587 is slightly younger than the Hyades and probably of solar metallicity. A cluster radius of roughly 8 arcmin was estimated from the radial stellar density profile. From 18 probable cluster members with measured proper motions, we derive the following mean values for NGC 2587:  μ_α=−4.3 ± 3.6 mas yr⁻¹  and  μ_δ=−2.5 ± 3.4 mas yr⁻¹  . Adopting the theoretical metal content   Z = 0.02  , which provides the best global fit, we derive a cluster age of  500⁺⁶⁰₋₅₀  . Simultaneously, colour excesses   E ( B − V ) = 0.10  and   E ( V − I ) = 0.15  and an apparent distance modulus of   V − M_V = 12.50  are obtained. The interstellar extinction in the cluster direction is found to follow the normal law. NGC 2587 is located at a distance of (2.70 ± 0.70) kpc from the Sun and ∼9.8 kpc from the Galactic centre.     

Astrophysical supplements to the ASCC‐2.5: Ia. Radial velocities of ∼55000 stars and mean radial velocities of 516 Galactic open clusters and associations

We present the 2nd version of the Catalogue of Radial Velocities with Astrometric Data (CRVAD‐2). This is the result of the cross‐identification of stars from the All‐Sky Compiled Catalogue of 2.5 Million Stars (ASCC‐2.5) with the General Catalogue of Radial Velocities and with other recently published radial velocity lists and catalogues. The CRVAD‐2 includes accurate J2000 equatorial coordinates, proper motions and trigonometric parallaxes in the Hipparcos system, B, V photometry in the Johnson system, spectral types, radial velocities (RVs), multiplicity and variability flags for 54907 ASCC‐2.5 stars. We have used the CRVAD‐2 for a new determination of mean RVs of 363 open clusters and stellar associations considering their established members from proper motions and photometry in the ASCC‐2.5. For 330 clusters and associations we compiled previously published mean RVs from the literature, critically reviewed and partly revised them. The resulting Catalogue of Radial Velocities of Open Clusters and Associations (CRVOCA) contains about 460 open clusters and about 60 stellar associations in the Solar neighbourhood. These numbers still represent less than 30% of the total number of about 1820 objects currently known in the Galaxy. The mean RVs of young clusters are generally better known than those of older ones. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Mapping the β Cephei instability strip: photometric variability of stars in the central part of the Cygnus OB2 association

The central part of the Cygnus OB2 association was searched for the presence of short-period hot pulsators. Out of 16 O-type stars in the field, five turned out to be variable. None of the O-type variables showed short-period variations characteristic for the β Cephei-type stars. However, two β Cephei stars were found among the early B-type members of the association. Their pulsation periods are too long to be in agreement with the average association age. We note that the discrepancy can be explained by non-coeval star formation, which was already suggested by other authors from the investigation of the colour–magnitude diagrams of the association.   We found 29 new variables in all fields searched by us. About half of these are Cygnus OB2 members. By means of Hα photometry, we confirmed the presence of Hα emission in two stars and found one new Be star. A weak Hα emission is probably present in all observed O-type supergiants and giants. We also give the new BVRI Hα photometry for almost 300 stars. This multicolour photometry is used to determine a dereddened colour–magnitude diagram for the association and make a reddening map of the observed field. The extinction in the field, expressed as the total absorption in the Johnson V filter, A _v , ranges from 4.1 to 7.0 mag; the average A _V amounts to 5.8 mag. One O-type star is probably a background object.     

Late-type members of young stellar kinematic groups – I. Single stars

This is the first paper of a series aimed at studying the properties of late-type members of young stellar kinematic groups. We concentrate our study on classical young moving groups such as the Local Association (Pleiades moving group,     , IC 2391 supercluster (35 Myr), Ursa Major group (Sirius supercluster, 300 Myr), and Hyades supercluster (600 Myr), as well as on recently identified groups such as the Castor moving group (200 Myr). In this paper we compile a preliminary list of single late-type possible members of some of these young stellar kinematic groups. Stars are selected from previously established members of stellar kinematic groups based on photometric and kinematic properties as well as from candidates based on other criteria such as their level of chromospheric activity, rotation rate and lithium abundance. Precise measurements of proper motions and parallaxes taken from the Hipparcos Catalogue, as well as from the Tycho-2 Catalogue, and published radial velocity measurements are used to calculate the Galactic space motions ( U , V , W ) and to apply Eggen's kinematic criteria in order to determine the membership of the selected stars to the different groups. Additional criteria using age-dating methods for late-type stars will be applied in forthcoming papers of this series. A further study of the list of stars compiled here could lead to a better understanding of the chromospheric activity and their age evolution, as well as of the star formation history in the solar neighbourhood. In addition, these stars are also potential search targets for direct imaging detection of substellar companions.     

The distribution of bright OB stars in the Canis Major–Puppis–Vela region of the Milky Way

The picture of the young stellar groups in the Canis Major–Puppis–Vela (215°< l <275°) section of the Milky Way is studied and updated utilizing uvbyβ photometry of intrinsically luminous OB stars. We use all data from the literature to create a sample with 98 per cent completeness to 9.5 mag.
The very dense low reddened OB association CMa OB1 is confirmed at a distance of 0.99 (±0.05 s.e. ) kpc. Towards Puppis the brightest intrinsically luminous stars do not reveal Pup OB1 and Pup OB2. In the same direction, we separate two small groups, previously related to the association surrounding NGC 2439 at 3.5–4.5 kpc. The first one contains four highly reddened B-type supergiants situated in front of the cluster at 1.03 (±0.14 s.e.) kpc – much closer to the Sun than has been estimated before. The second one lies north-west from the cluster at 3.2 (±0.23 s.e.) kpc according to our estimate. In the direction to Vela, the bright OB stars are apparently embedded in a dust cloud and spread out between 0.3 and 2.5 kpc, forming clumps over this distance range.
In general, the prominent apparent young structures delineated by the brightest intrinsically luminous OB stars in the directions of Canis Major and Vela are some 20–25 per cent closer to the Sun than has previously been thought. This is in agreement with the Hipparcos results for the Galactic OB associations, and is highly likely to be caused by the overestimation of the spectroscopic distances used in the previous studies.     

The Coma Berenices star cluster and its moving group

We report on the analysis of astrometric and photometric data from Hipparcos, Tycho and the ACT catalogue in a 1200 sq. degree field around the nearby open star cluster in Coma Berenices and infer the characteristic features of this cluster. From a sample of 51 kinematic members we derive the cluster's distance, size and spatial structure as well as its stellar content, mass and age. We find that the cluster consists of an elliptical core-halo system with major axis parallel to the direction of galactic motion, and of a moving group of extratidal stars. The latter have tangential distances ≥10 pc from the cluster center, but have the same distance from the Sun, the same motion and the same age as the stars in the core and halo. The luminosity function of the core-halo system steeply declines beyond absolute magnitude M_V=4.5, but that of the moving group rises towards fainter magnitudes and suggests the existence of further low-mass members below the current magnitude limit. The cloud of extratidal stars witnesses the process of dissolution of the cluster.     

BVI CCD photometry of the distant open star clusters Berkeley 81, Berkeley 99, NGC 6603 and NGC 7044

We present CCD observations for the distant northern open star clusters Berkeley 81, Berkeley 99, NGC 6603 and NGC 7044 in B V I photometric passbands. A total of 9 900 stars have been observed in fields of about 6 × 6 arcmin² of the sky around the clusters. Colour–magnitude diagrams in V , ( B  −  V ) and V , ( V  −  I ) have been generated down to V  = 22 mag and, for the first time, such diagrams have been produced for the clusters Berkeley 81 and Berkeley 99. The data serve as a base for the study of mass functions and for comparison with theoretical models. Analysis of the radial distribution of stellar surface density indicates that the radius values for Berkeley 81, Berkeley 99, NGC 6603 and NGC 7044 are 2.7, 2.8, 2.8 and 2.2 arcmin respectively. By fitting the latest convective core overshooting isochrones to the colour–magnitude diagram and using its morphological features, reddenings, distances and ages of the star clusters have been determined. Broad but well-defined main sequences with stellar evolutionary effects in the brighter stars are clearly visible in colour–magnitude diagrams of all the clusters under study. Some blue stragglers along with well-developed giant branches and red giant clumps are also clearly seen in all of them. The clusters studied here are located at a distance of ∼ 3 kpc, except for Berkeley 99 which is located at a distance of 4.9 kpc. Their linear sizes lie between 3.8 and 8.0 pc; E ( B  −  V ) values range from 0.3 to 1.0 mag, while their ages are between 0.5 and 3.2 Gyr. Thus the star clusters studied here are of intermediate and high age but are compact and distant objects.     

A revisit to agglomerates of early‐type Hipparcos stars

We study the spatial structure and sub‐structure of regions rich in Hipparcos stars with blue B_T – V_T colours. These regions, which comprise large stellar complexes, OB associations, and young open clusters, are tracers of on‐going star formation in the Galaxy. The DBSCAN (Density‐Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) data clustering algorithm is used to look for spatial overdensities of early‐type stars. Once an overdensity, “agglomerate”, is identified, we carry out a data and bibliographic compilation of their star member candidates. The actual membership in agglomerate of each early‐type star is studied based on its heliocentric distance, proper motion, and previous spectro‐photometric information. We identify 35 agglomerates of early‐type Hipparcos stars. Most of them are associated to previously known clusters and OB associations. The previously unknown P Puppis agglomerate is subject of a dedicated study with Virtual Observatory tools. It is actually a new, nearby, young open cluster (d ∼ 470 pc, age ∼ 20 Ma) with a clear radial density gradient.We list P Puppis and other six agglomerates (including NGC 2451 A, vdBH 23, and Trumpler 10) as new sites for substellar searches because of their youth, closeness, and spatial density. We investigate in detail the sub‐structure in the Orion, CMa‐Pup and Pup‐Vel OB complexes (“super‐agglomerates”). We confirm or discover some stellar overdensities in the Orion complex, like the 25 Ori group, the Horsehead region (including the σ Orionis cluster), and the η Orionis agglomerate. Finally, we derive accurate parallactic distances to the Pleiades, NGC 2451 A, and IC 2391, describe several field early‐type stars at d < 200 pc, and discuss the incompleteness of our search. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A survey for planetary transits in the field of NGC 7789

We present results from 30 nights of observations of the open cluster NGC 7789 with the Wide Field Camera on the Isaac Newton Telescope, La Palma. From ∼900 epochs, we obtained light curves and Sloan   r '− i '  colours for ∼33 000 stars, with ∼2400 stars having better than 1 per cent precision. We expected to detect ∼2 transiting hot Jupiter planets if 1 per cent of stars host such a companion and a typical hot Jupiter radius is  ∼1.2  R _J  . We find 24 transit candidates, 14 of which we can assign a period. We rule out the transiting planet model for 21 of these candidates using various robust arguments. For two candidates, we are unable to decide on their nature, although it seems most likely that they are eclipsing binaries as well. We have one candidate exhibiting a single eclipse, for which we derive a radius of  1.81^+0.09_−0.00  R _J  . Three candidates remain that require follow-up observations in order to determine their nature.     

The region of Collinder 121

The distribution of bright B-type stars in a field with a radius of 5° centred at the Galactic open cluster Cr 121 is studied utilizing Strömgren and H β photometry. All PPM stars earlier than spectral type A0 are used, revealing a loose nearby structure at a distance of 660–730 pc, and a compact more distant group, which appears to be a genuine cluster: Cr 121. Based on similar coordinates, distances and positions on the colour–magnitude (CM) and Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagrams, 11 photometric cluster members are selected at a mean distance of 1085(±41 standard error) pc. The results are discussed in the light of both classical and Hipparcos points of view.     

X-ray source populations in the region of the open clusters NGC 6633 and IC 4756

Using deep exposures (∼10⁵ s) with the ROSAT High Resolution Imager, we have performed flux-limited surveys for X-ray sources in the vicinity of the Hyades-age open stellar clusters NGC 6633 and IC 4756, detecting 31 and 13 sources, respectively. Our primary aim is to search for so-far unrecognized cluster members. We propose identifications or classifications (cluster member, field star, extragalactic field object) for the X-ray sources, based on published membership lists, and on X-ray:optical flux ratios and optical colour–magnitude diagrams. Results of simulating the expected X-ray-emitting source populations are compared with the ROSAT measurements and with the expected capabilities of the XMM mission. The simulations provide a novel method of comparing the activity levels of NGC 6633 and IC 4756 with that of the Hyades. The measurements and simulations confirm that cluster members are the major class of X-ray emitter in these fields at flux levels     (0.1–2.4 keV), contributing ∼40 per cent of the total X-ray sources. We find six possible new members in NGC 6633 and four candidates in IC 4756; all require further observation to establish membership probability.     

The proper-motion signal of unresolved binaries in the Hipparcos catalogue

We present an investigation of the differences between quasi-instantaneous stellar proper motions from the Hipparcos catalogue and long-term proper motions determined by combining Hipparcos and the Astrographic Catalogue. Our study is based on a sample of about 12000 stars of visual magnitude from 7 to 10 in two declination zones on the northern and equatorial sky. The distribution of the proper-motion differences shows an excess of large deviations. This is caused by the influence of orbital motion of unresolved binary systems. The proper-motion deviations provide statistical evidence for 360 astrometric binaries in the investigated zones, corresponding to about 2400 such binaries in the entire Hipparcos catalogue, in addition to those already known. In order to check whether the observed deviations are compatible with standard assumptions on the basic parameters of binary stars, we model the impact of orbital motion on the observed proper motions in a Monte Carlo simulation. We show that the simulation yields an acceptable approximation of the observations, if a binary frequency between 70% and 100% is assumed, i.e.if most of the stars in the sample are assumed to have a companion. Thus Hipparcos astrometric binaries confirm that the frequency of non-single stars among field stars is very high. We also investigate the influence of the mass function for the secondary component on the result of the simulation. A constant mass function and mass functions with moderate increase towards low masses lead to results, which are compatible with the observed proper-motion effects. A high preponderance of very-low-mass or substellar companions as produced, for example, by a M^—1 power law is not in agreement with the frequency of proper-motion deviations in our sample of stars.     

Activity and kinematics of members of the TW Hydrae association

We present high-resolution echelle spectroscopy of 20 stars in 16 systems catalogued as members of the TW Hydrae association, and 16 stars identified as possible new members. We have calibrated the range of coronal and chromospheric activity expected for such young stars as a function of spectral type by combining our observations with literature data for field and open cluster stars. We also compute space motions for TWA members and candidate members with proper motion measurements, using two techniques to estimate distances to stars lacking direct trigonometric parallax measurements. The mean space motion of the four TWA members with known parallaxes is  ( U , V , W : −10.0, −17.8, −4.6) km s⁻¹  . 14 of the candidates have properties inconsistent with cluster membership; the remaining two are potential new members, although further observations are required to confirm this possibility.     

Star clusterings in the Carina complex: UBVRI photometry of Bochum 9, 10 and 11

We report on the first UBVRI CCD photometry of three poorly known star clusterings in the region of η Carinae: Bochum 9, 10 and 11. We find that they are young, rather poor, loose open clusters.
We argue that Bochum 9 is probably a small and loose open cluster with about 30 probable members having E ( B − V )=0.63±0.08 , located 4.6 kpc far from the Sun, beyond the Carina spiral arm.
Similarly, Bochum 10 is a sparse aggregate with 14 probable members having E ( B − V )=0.47±0.05 and at a distance of 2.7 kpc from the Sun.
Finally, Bochum 11 is a less than 4×10⁶ yr old cluster for which we identify 24 members. It has a reddening E ( B − V )=0.58±0.05 , and lies between Bochum 10 and 9, at 3.5 kpc from the Sun. We propose that in the field of the cluster some stars might be pre-main-sequence candidates.     

New stellar members of the Coma Berenices open star cluster

We present the results of a survey of the Coma Berenices open star cluster (Melotte 111), undertaken using proper motions from the USNO-B1.0 (United States Naval Observatory) and photometry from the Two-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) Point Source catalogues. We have identified 60 new candidate members with masses in the range  1.007 < M < 0.269 M_⊙  . For each we have estimated a membership probability by extracting control clusters from the proper motion vector diagram. All 60 are found to have greater than 60 per cent probability of being members, more than doubling the number of known cluster members. The new luminosity function for the cluster peaks at bright magnitudes, but is rising at   K ≈ 12  , indicating that it is likely that lower mass members may exist. The mass function also supports this hypothesis.     

The formation of a bound star cluster: from the Orion nebula cluster to the Pleiades

Direct N -body calculations are presented of the formation of Galactic clusters using GasEx , which is a variant of the code Nbody6 . The calculations focus on the possible evolution of the Orion nebula cluster (ONC) by assuming that the embedded OB stars explosively drove out 2/3 of its mass in the form of gas about 0.4 Myr ago. A bound cluster forms readily and survives for 150 Myr despite additional mass loss from the large number of massive stars, and the Galactic tidal field. This is the very first time that cluster formation is obtained under such realistic conditions. The cluster contains about 1/3 of the initial 10⁴ stars, and resembles the Pleiades cluster to a remarkable degree, implying that an ONC-like cluster may have been a precursor of the Pleiades. This scenario predicts the present expansion velocity of the ONC, which will be measurable by upcoming astrometric space missions. These missions should also detect the original Pleiades members as an associated expanding young Galactic-field subpopulation. The results arrived at here suggest that Galactic clusters form as the nuclei of expanding OB associations.
The results have wide implications, also for the formation of globular clusters and the Galactic-field and halo stellar populations. In view of this, the distribution of binary orbital periods and the mass function within and outside the model ONC and Pleiades is quantified, finding consistency with observational constraints. Advanced mass segregation is evident in one of the ONC models. The calculations show that the primordial binary population of both clusters could have been much the same as is observed in the Taurus–Auriga star-forming region. The computations also demonstrate that the binary proportion of brown dwarfs is depleted significantly for all periods, whereas massive stars attain a high binary fraction.