Integrated spectral properties of four previously unstudied small angular size galactic open clusters

PALMA, T.; AHUMADA, A.V.; CLARIA, J.J.; BICA, E.

Astronomische Nachrichten

Wiley-VCH, Verlag GmbH & Co.

Lugar: Weinheim; Año: 2008 vol. 329 p. 392 - 396

0004-6337

We have derived fundamental parameters for the previously unstudied concentrated Galactic open clusters Berkeley 77, NGC2587, BH58 and ESO324-SC15 by means of integrated spectroscopy in the range 3800-6800 A . The cluster integrated spectra are compared with those of solar metallicity template spectra of Galactic open clusters with known parameters.The spectra were obtained at CASLEO (San Juan, Argentina) with a resolution of 14 A .We estimated simultaneously age and foreground interstellar reddening by comparing the continuum distribution and line strengths of the cluster spectra with those of template spectra. Berkeley 77 was found to be an old cluster of 3-4 Gyr, while the remaining three clusters are between 400 and 1000 Myr old. The derived foreground reddening values range from E(B-V) = 0.0 in NGC2587 and ESO324-SC15 to approximately 0.30 in Berkeley 77.