English

A New Method for Estimating the Distance to Young Open Clusters

Astrophysics 2015-06-24 v1

Abstract

We present a new technique for estimating the distance to young open clusters. The method requires accurate measurement of the axial rotation period of late-type members of the cluster: rotation periods are first combined with projected rotation velocities and an estimate of the angular diameter for each star -- obtained using the Barnes-Evans relation between colour and surface brightness. A 'best' cluster distance estimate is then determined using standard techniques from the theory of order statistics which are in common use in the general statistics literature. It is hoped that this new method will prove a useful adjoint to more traditional distance methods, and will provide a better %determination of the distance scale within the solar neighbourhood. (Figures / preprint available on request)

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.astro-ph/9310035,
  title  = {A New Method for Estimating the Distance to Young Open Clusters},
  author = {Martin A. Hendry and Mark A. O'Dell and Andrew Collier-Cameron},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/9310035},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

Plain Latex version 3.1, 14 pages, Sussex-AST-93/8-1, to appear in MNRAS

R2 v1 2026-07-22T09:22:59.866Z