Revisit of GeV Gamma-Ray Emission from Orion B with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

We revisit the γ-ray emission above 300 Me V towards the massive star-forming region of Orion B by adopting14 yr observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope and utilizing the updated software tools.The extended γ-ray emission region around Orion B is resolved into two components(region Ⅰ and region Ⅱ).The γ-ray spectrum of region I agrees with the predicted γ-ray spectrum assuming the cosmic ray(CR)density is the same as that of Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer(AMS-02)measured locally.Theγ-ray emissivity of region II appears to be deficit at low energy band(E<3 GeV).Through modeling we find that CR densities exhibit a significant deficit below 20 Ge V,which may be caused by a slow diffusion inside the dense region.This is probably caused by an increased magnetic field whose strength increases with the gas density.

Variable stars in the 50BiN open cluster survey.Ⅱ.NGC 869

This work presents a time-series photometric variability survey of the young open cluster NGC 869.More than 13000 CCD frames in the BV filters were collected on 19 nights between 2014 November 6 and 2014 December 24.In a 20’×20’field centered on the cluster,we detected a total of 28 stars showing photometric variability,12 of which are new discoveries.The classifications and memberships of the variable stars are discussed according to the behaviors and periods of the light curves as well as their positions on the H-R diagram.These results conclude that 22 variable stars are probable members of the cluster while six other stars belong to the field star population.They are categorized as 18 pulsating variable stars(fourβCep,seven SPB,oneβCep/SPB,four Be stars,and twoδSct/γDor candidates),seven eclipsing binaries(five EA and two EB)and three unknown type stars.

The first CCD photometric study of the open cluster NGC 744

We present the first CCD photometric observations of open cluster NGC 744, as part of the 50 BiN Open Cluster Survey. The color-magnitude diagrams of this cluster were derived from absolute BV RI photometry on a good photometric night. A brief isochrone fitting gives a distance modulus of(m-M)V= 11.58±0.2 and a reddening of E(B-V) = 0.35±0.05 with an age of log t = 8.30±0.05.By carefully examining the BV time-series data, we discovered four new variable stars in a 20′×20′field around the cluster. We classified them as three eclipsing binary stars and one δ Scuti pulsating star,mainly based on the light-curve shape, the detected periods and the positions on the color-magnitude diagrams.

Photometric solution and period analysis of the contact binary system AH Cnc

Photometric observations of AH Cnc, a W UMa-type system in the open cluster M67, were car- fled out by using the 50BIN telescope. About 100h of time-series/3- and V-band data were taken, based on which eight new times of light minima were determined. By applying the Wilson-Devinney method, the light curves were modeled and a revised photometric solution of the binary system was derived. We con- firmed that AH Cnc is a deep contact （f = 51%）, low mass-ratio （q - 0.156） system. Adopting the distance modulus derived from study of the host cluster, we have re-calculated the physical parameters of the binary system, namely the masses and radii. The masses and radii of the two components were estimated to be respectively 1.188（4-0.061） Me, 1.332（4-0.063） RQ for the primary component and 0.185（4-0.032） Me, 0.592（4-0.051） Re for the secondary. By adding the newly derived minimum timings to all the available data, the period variations of AH Cnc were studied. This shows that the orbital period of the binary is con- tinuously increasing at a rate of dp/dt = 4.29 x 10-10 d yr-1. In addition to the long-term period increase, a cyclic variation with a period of 35.26 yr was determined, which could be attributed to an unresolved tertiary component of the system.

Membership determination of open cluster NGC 188 based on the DBSCAN clustering algorithm

High-precision proper motions and radial velocities of 1046 stars are used to determine member stars using three-dimensional （3D） kinematics for open clus- ter NGC 188 based on the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise （DBSCAN） clustering algorithm. By implementing this algorithm, 472 member stars in the cluster are obtained with 3D kinematics. The color-magnitude diagram （CMD） of the 472 member stars using 3D kinematics shows a well-defined main sequence and a red giant branch, which indicate that the DBSCAN clustering algorithm is very effective for membership determination. The DBSCAN clustering algorithm can ef- fectively select probable member stars in 3D kinematic space without any assumption about the distribution of the cluster or field stars. Analysis results show that the CMD of member stars is significantly clearer than the one based on 2D kinematics, which al- lows us to better constrain the cluster members and estimate their physical parameters. Using the 472 member stars, the average absolute proper motion and radial velocity are determined to be （PMα, PMδ） = （-2.58 ± 0.22, ＋0.17 ± 0.18） mas yr-1 and Vr = -42.35 ± 0.05 km s-1, respectively. Our values are in good agreement with values derived by other authors.

New open clusters found by manual mining of data based on Gaia DR2

The physical nature of a series of 20 new open clusters is confirmed employing existing data on putative star members,mainly from the second Gaia Data Release(DR2).The clusters were discovered as overdensities of stars by visual inspection of either photographic DSS plates or proper motion plots of random source fields.The reported objects are not present in the most comprehensive or recent catalogs of stellar clusters and associations.For all of them,clumps of comoving stars are revealed in the proper motion space.The parallaxes of the clumped stars are compatible with the real existence of open clusters over narrow ranges of distances.Surface density calculations,free of most noise from non-member sources,allow differentiating a cluster core and an extended cluster corona in some instances.Color-magnitude diagrams generally show a definite main sequence that allows confirmation of the physical existence of the clusters and some of their characteristics.Two of the new clusters seem to form a double system with a common origin.Several of the new clusters challenge the claim of near completeness of the known OC population in the distance range from 1.0 to 1.8 kpc from the Sun(Kharchenko et al.).

The simplest way to get a cluster's parameters in the Gaia era(Dolidze 41)

The astro-photometric parameters of the open star cluster Dolidze 41, which is located in the constellation Cygnus, have been investigated using the Gaia DR2 large survey that is merged with the near infrared Two Micron All Sky Survey(2 MASS) database.The radial density distribution(limited,core and tidal radii), color-magnitude diagrams, galactocentric coordinates, distances, color excess and age of Dolidze 41 are presented.The Gaia DR2 astrometry helped us to define the membership of the cluster stars easily.The luminosity and mass functions, the entire luminosity and mass, and the relaxation time of the cluster have been estimated as well.

Search for variable stars in the open cluster NGC 1245

We used the Nanshan 1 m telescope of Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory to investigate variable stars in the region of NGC 1245. We detected 55 variable stars in the field of view, 42 of them are newly discovered: six binaries, 22 pulsating stars, 14 unclassified variables. We discussed the physical properties and classifications of the variable stars through their light curves. The cross-matching with the members catalog of NGC 1245 suggests that 10 variable stars are identified as probable cluster members, which including one EW type binary, eight δ Scuti stars, and an unknown type variable star. Since the difference of the members catalog of the cluster and the limitations of the instrument, there are some huge differences in the variable list of NGC 1245 compared with the previous work.

The kinematical and space structures of IC 2391 open cluster and moving group with Gaia-DR2

The kinematical parameters,spatial shape and structure of the open cluster IC 2391 and the associated stellar stream are studied here using Gaia Data Release 2(GDR2) astrometry data.The apex positions are determined for the open cluster IC 2391(data taken from Cantat-Gaudin et al.) and for the kinematical stream’s stars mentioned in Montes et al.employing both convergent point and AD-diagram methods.The values of apex coordinates are:(A,D)CP=(6.~h17 ± 0.~h004,-6.°88 ± 0.°381;for cluster) and(6.~h07 ± 0.~h007,-5.°00 ± 0.°447;stream),and(A0,D0) =(6.~h12 ± 0.~h004,-3.°4 ± 0.°3;cluster) and(6.~h21 ±0.~h007,-11.°895 ± 0.°290;stream).The results are in good agreement with the previously calculated values.The positions of the stars in the disk and the spatial dispersion velocities are determined.The paths of cluster and associated stream are traced in the disk by orbit calculation back in time to their places of formation.A possible genetic relationship between the cluster and stream has been detected.The approximation of the spatial and kinematical shape of the stream and the cluster is made.According to this study,even though currently the cluster and stream seem to have a spatial difference in their locations,they appear to have formed in the same region of the Galactic disk.

Optical/IR studies of Be stars in NGC 6834 with emphasis on two specific stars

We present optical and infrared photometric and spectroscopic studies of two Be stars in the 70-80-Myr-old open cluster NGC 6834. NGC 6834（1） has been reported as a binary from speckle interferometric studies whereas NGC 6834（2） may possibly be a γ Cas-like variable. Infrared photometry and spectroscopy from the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope （UKIRT）, and optical data from various facilities are combined with archival data to understand the nature of these candidates. High signal-to-noise near-IR spectra obtained from UKIRT have enabled us to study the optical depth effects in the hydrogen emission lines of these stars. We have explored the spectral classification scheme based on the intensity of emission lines in the H and K bands and contrasted it with the conventional classification based on the intensity of hydrogen and helium absorption lines. This work also presents hitherto unavailable UBV CCD photometry of NGC 6834, from which the evolutionary state of the Be stars is identified.

Membership and Segregation Effects in the Young Open Cluster NGC 6530

From photographic plate data of Shanghai Astronomical Observatory with a time baseline of 87 years, proper motions and membership probabilities of 364 stars in the open cluster NGC 6530 region are reduced. On the basis of membership determination, luminosity function and segregation effect of the cluster are discussed with details. Spatial mass segregation is obviously present in NGC 6530 while there is no clear evidence for a velocity-mass （or velocity-luminosity）dependence. The observed spatial mass segregation for NGC 6530 might be due to a combination of initial conditions and relaxation process.

An application of the k-th nearest neighbor method to open cluster membership determination

We introduce a non-parametric method for open cluster membership determination in threedimensional（3D） velocity space（proper motion and radial velocity）. Clean 3D cluster members can be obtained by statistically analyzing the Euclidean distance between each star and its k-th nearest neighbor in3 D velocity space. We use 513 sample stars in the direction of open cluster M67 to construct a 3D velocity space and test our method; 291 3D cluster members are obtained. The color-magnitude diagram, proper motions, radial velocities and spatial distribution of these 3D cluster members demonstrate the effectiveness of our method. From the 291 3D cluster members, the mean radial velocity and absolute proper motion of M67 are Vr = ＋33.46 ± 0.05 km s-1and（PMRA, PMDEC） =（-7.64 ± 0.07,-5.98 ± 0.07） mas yr-1,respectively. In addition, we use 640 sample stars with precise proper motions and radial velocities in the direction of open cluster NGC 188 to test our method. The test results also show that our method is effective.

First PPMXL photometric analysis of open cluster Ruprecht 15

We present the first in a series studying the astrophysical parameters of open clusters using the PPMXL＊ database whose data are applied to study Ruprecht 15. The astrophysical parameters of Ruprecht 15 have been estimated for the first time.

Optical and near-infrared photometric study of NGC 6724

BVRI CCD photometry of the poorly studied open cluster NGC 6724 has been carried out down to a limiting magnitude of V-20 mag. The stars of the cluster have been observed using the Newtonian focus （f/4.84） of the 74-inch telescope at Kottamia Astronomical Observatory in Egypt. Also, the 2MASS - JHK system is used to confirm the results we obtained. The main photometric parameters have been estimated for the present object; the diameter is found to be 6 arcmin, the distance is 15304-60pc from the Sun and the age is 900＋50Myr. The optical reddening E（B - V） = 0.65 mag, while the infrared reddening is E（J - H） = 0.20 mag. The slope of the mass function distribution and the relaxation time estimations indicate that cluster NGC 6724 is dynamically relaxed.

3D cluster members and near-infrared distance of open cluster NGC 6819

In order to obtain clean members of the open cluster NGC 6819, the proper motions and radial velocities of 1691 stars are used to construct a three-dimensional （3D） velocity space. Based on the DBSCAN clustering algorithm, 537 3D cluster members are obtained. From the 537 3D cluster members, the average radial velocity and absolute proper motion of the cluster are Vr = ＋2.30 ±0.04 km s-1 and （PMRA, PMDec） = （-2.5 ±0.5, -4.3 ± 0.5） mas yr-1, respectively. The proper motions, radial velocities, spatial positions and color-magnitude diagram of the 537 3D members indicate that our membership determination is effective. Among the 537 3D cluster members, 15 red clump giants can be easily identified by eye and are used as reliable standard candles for the distance estimate of the cluster. The distance modulus of the cluster is determined to be （m - M）0 -- 11.86 ± 0.05 mag （2355 ±54 pc）, which is quite consistent with published values. The uncertainty of our distance mod- ulus is dominated by the intrinsic dispersion in the luminosities of red clump giants （--0.04 mag）.

Simulation of old open clusters for UVIT on ASTROSAT

The Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope （UVIT） is one of the payloads on the first Indian multiwavelength satellite ASTROSAT, which is expected to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation （ISRO） in the year 2015. We have per- formed simulations of UV studies of old open clusters for the UVIT. The colour mag- nitude diagrams （CMDs） and spatial appearances have been created using 10 filters associated with the FUV channel （130-180 nm） and NUV channel （200-300 nm） that are available for observations on the UVIT, for the three old open clusters M67, NGC 188 and NGC 6791. The CMDs are simulated for different filter combinations, and they are used to identify the loci of various evolutionary sequences, white dwarfs, blue stragglers, red giants, subgiants, turn off stars and the main sequence of the clus- ters. The present work helps in identifying a potential area of study in the case of these three old open clusters by considering the availability of filters and the detection limits of the instrument. We also recommend filter combinations, which can be used to detect and study the above mentioned evolutionary stages. The simulations and the results presented here are essential for the optimal use of the UVIT for studies of old open clusters.