The Star Population of Young Open Clusters: A Photometric and Spectroscopic Study

2003

I have determined physical parameters (interstellar reddening, distance, and age) for three young open clusters: h Persei, x Persei, and NGC 1893. I have studied their massive star populations and their formation epochs. I present photometric data for 350 stars in the double open cluster h and x Persei. For both clusters, the distance moduli and reddening are determined to be the same: V0 M p V and E(b y) p . However, the ages for 11.6 0.2 0.42 0.2 the clusters are different. Most stars in h Persei follow the isochrone, although some of the massive stars seem log t p 7.3 younger. By contrast, the stars in x Persei better fit isochrones for (A. Marco & G. Bernabeu 2001, A&A, log t p 7.10–7.1…