A new look at the spatial structure of open clusters: the Pleiades, Praesepe, and Coma Berenices
Abstract
Based on the star density distribution curves published by Kholopov and Artyukhina, the spatial structure of the Pleiades, Praesepe and Coma Berenices open clusters is studied in different star magnitude intervals and to different limiting magnitudes. It is shown that the spatial structure of these clusters, like that of globular clusters, systematically changes with the magnitude of stars included in the curves, starting from the brightest stars of the upper end of the main sequence and descending along the (V, B-V) diagram for the clusters. This change consists in a regular increase in spatial zone radii on passing to fainter stars. Empirical functions describing these changes for the Pleiades and Praesepe are obtained, and some general conclusions on the structure of star clusters (open and globular) are drawn.
- Publication:
-
Astronomicheskii Zhurnal
- Pub Date:
- December 1990
- Bibcode:
- 1990AZh....67.1141P
- Keywords:
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- Galactic Structure;
- Open Clusters;
- Star Distribution;
- Density Distribution;
- Globular Clusters;
- Stellar Magnitude;
- Astrophysics