Age distribution of open clusters as a function of their linear diameter and age-dependence of cluster masses

From the well-observed data of star clusters, the age distribution of galactic clusters is obtianed as a function of their linear diameter and it is concluded that the observed age distribution of clusters for different linear diameter intervals within 1500 pc, is not seriously affected by the selection effects. If we assume that the rate of formation of clusters is constant, the lifetimes _1/2 of the clusters for different linear diameter intervals have been obtained and it is found that the clusters with a linear diameter in the range 0–1.9 pc have longer lifetimes than the clusters having linear diameters larger than 2.0 pc.Total masses of 57 clusters have been obtained using the catalogues of Piskunov (1983) and Myakutinet al. (1984). A study of age-dependence of cluster masses, based on the total masses of the clusters obtained in the present study and the cluster masses given by Bruch and Sanders (1983) and Lynga (1983b), shows that there is a decreasing trend in the total mass with the age, however, there is an increasing trend after the age of about 10⁸ yr. It is also concluded that the initial rate of formation of rich clusters was relatively higher than the present rate of formation.     

Some further measurements of Uranian ring condensations

The results of photometric observations of the occultation of BD-19° 4222 by Uranus on April 26, 1981 from two stations in India conform with the model proposed by Elliotet al. (1981).     

Photometry of open cluster NGC 1931

PhotoelectricUBV magnitudes and colours have been determined for stars in the field of NGC 1931. The reddening across the cluster varies from 0 _. ^m 33 to 1 _. ^m 20. A distance of 2.16 kiloparsecs has been estimated for the cluster. It is concluded that the age of the cluster lies between the ages of NGC 6231 and NGC 2362 groups.     

The occultation of MKE 31 by Neptune on September 12, 1983

The predicted occultation of the star No. 31 (Mink et al., 1981) by Neptune on September 12, 1983 was observed photoelectrically. Four secondary occultations were recorded before the immersion event.     

Possible ring system of Neptune

A re-analysis of the observations of occultation of MKE 31 by Neptune on September 12, 1983 (Pandey et al., 1984) shows that the possible ring system of Neptune extends from 64400 km to 64190 km in Neptune's equatorial plane.     

Extended ring system of Uranus

Two photoelectric records of the occultation event on 10 March, 1977, obtained by two 102-cm-aperture telescopes, spaced 1500 km apart, are critically analysed and indications of a complex structure of distribution of occulting material surrounding the planet are obtained. The results confirm the existence of a very shallow broad ring system with local condensation lanes of narrow and intermediate widths. A system of numerous thin rings are also present around the planet in the equatorial plane.     

Integrated luminosity distribution of Galactic open clusters

The integrated magnitudes of 221 Galactic open clusters have been used to derive the luminosity function. The completeness of the data has also been discussed. In the luminosity distribution the maximum frequency of clusters occurs nearI (M_v) = −3 _m ^. 5, and some plausible reasons for a sharp cut-off atI (M_v) = −2^m. 0 have been discussed. It is concluded that the paucity of the clusters fainter thanI (M _v) = −2 _m ^.0 is not purely due to selection effects. The surface density of the clusters for different magnitude intervals has. been obtained using the completeness radius estimated from the logN- logd plots. A relation betweenI (M^v) and surface density has been obtained which yields a steeper slope than that obtained by van den Bergh & Lafontaine (1984).     

The age distribution and total lifetimes of open clusters

The age distribution of galactic clusters is obtained from well-observed star clusters, and it is concluded that the observed age distribution of clusters within 1000 pc is not seriously affected by the selection effects. If we assume that the rate of formation of clusters is constant, the observed age distributions of clusters for Trumpler's different richness classes have been obtained; and it is found that the rich clusters have longer lifetimes than the poor clusters.The lifetimes of clusters log(_1/2) for different richness classes obtained in the present study differ significantly from the lifetimes obtained by Janes and Adler (1982), because the lifetimes obtained by Janes and Adler may have been affected by the age-dependent selection effects which grow with increasing distance. From the observed age distribution of all clusters within 1000 pc the results obtained in the present study are in close agreement with the lifetimes obtained by Wielen (1971a).     

The effect of metallicity on the empirical relations for RR Lyrae stars

It has empirically been shown that, for a given value of the effective temperature, the correction in (B-V) due to line blanketing varies linearly with the metallicity parameter S. Next, on the basis of considerations different from those used to obtain a similar result by Sturch (1966), a relation between reciprocal effective temperature _e (=5040/T _e ) and intrinsic line-free colour index(B-V) _o,c has been obtained based on the _e and (B-V) values for five RR Lyr variables. Relations between _e and intrinsic colour(B-V) _o for different groups of stars having a S parameter in the range 0S11 have also been obtained.