No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

A Milky Way region in the direction of the North America and Pelican Nebulae is investigated using CCD photometry of 2600 stars in the Vilnius seven-color system. Its central part was covered with a CCD camera on the Maksutov wide-field telescope of the Moletai Observatory. Deeper CCD exposures for most interesting selected targets were taken with the 1 m telescope of the USNO Flagstaff Station. The author developed a new method for CCD data processing trying to reduce systematic errors and to increase photometric accuracy. This allowed us to measure M67 stars with high precision and use it as a CCD standard region in all our subsequent observations. To investigate interstellar extinction law in the area we obtained spectra for 33 B-type stars with the 2.3 m telescope of Steward Observatory at Kitt Peak. We also used near-infrared 2MASS data and other data sources when they were available. From photometric results in the Vilnius system we determined two-dimensional spectral types, color excesses, interstellar extinctions and distances of ~1300 stars. For more accurate determination of open cluster ages we recalibrated the zero-age main sequence in absolute magnitude vs. color diagram of the Vilnius system. We also investigated the possible connection between two open clusters in the area and surrounding star-forming region. Young stellar objects and possible ionizing sources of the NAP gas clouds were identified. / Naudojant CCD fotometriją, ištirta Paukščių Tako sritis Šiaurės Amerikos ir Pelikano ūkų kryptimi. Vilniaus fotometrinėje sistemoje išmatuota 2600 žvaigždžių. Didesnė sritis, apimanti abu ūkus ir tarp jų esantį dulkių debesį L935 buvo eksponuojama Molėtų observatorijos plataus lauko Maksutovo sistemos teleskopu. Mažesnės sritys, turinčios svarbių objektų, buvo eksponuojamos JAV laivyno observatorijos Flagstafo stoties 1 m. teleskopu. Autorius sukūrė metodiką. kaip ženkiai sumažinti sistematines redukcijos paklaidas ir padidinti CCD fotometrijos tikslumą. Tiksliai išmatuoti CCD fotometriniai standartai padrikąjame spiečiuje M67 bus naudojami tolimesniuose stebėjimuose. Ekstinkcijos dėsnio tyrimui buvo gauti 33 O-B žvaigždžių spektrai Stiuarto observatorijos 2.3 m teleskopu. Taip pat buvo panaudota 2MASS infraraudonosios fotometrijos katalogas ir kiti duomenys. Iš CCD ekspozicijų Vilniaus sistemoje fotometrijos daugumai fotometruotų žvaigždžių nustatyta: spektrinė ir šviesio klasė (MK sistemoje), spalvos ekscesas, tarpžvaigždinė ekstinkcija ir nuotolis. Tikslesniam padrikųjų spiečių amžiaus nustatymui iš naujo sukalibruota nulinio amžiaus pagrindinė seka Vilniaus fotometrinėje sistemoje. Ištirti du padrikieji žvaigždžių spiečiai esantys Šiaurės Amerikos ūko kryptimi ir patikrintas jų ryšys su aplinkine žvaigždėdaros sritimi. Aptikta apie 30 jaunų emisinių žvaigždžių ir 4 ar 5 žvaigždės, kurios galėtų būti ūkų jonizacijos šaltiniai.

Naudojant CCD fotometriją, ištirta Paukščių Tako sritis Šiaurės Amerikos ir Pelikano ūkų kryptimi. Vilniaus fotometrinėje sistemoje išmatuota 2600 žvaigždžių. Didesnė sritis, apimanti abu ūkus ir tarp jų esantį dulkių debesį L935 buvo eksponuojama Molėtų observatorijos plataus lauko Maksutovo sistemos teleskopu. Mažesnės sritys, turinčios svarbių objektų, buvo eksponuojamos JAV laivyno observatorijos Flagstafo stoties 1 m. teleskopu. Autorius sukūrė metodiką. kaip ženkiai sumažinti sistematines redukcijos paklaidas ir padidinti CCD fotometrijos tikslumą. Tiksliai išmatuoti CCD fotometriniai standartai padrikąjame spiečiuje M67 bus naudojami tolimesniuose stebėjimuose. Ekstinkcijos dėsnio tyrimui buvo gauti 33 O-B žvaigždžių spektrai Stiuarto observatorijos 2.3 m teleskopu. Taip pat buvo panaudota 2MASS infraraudonosios fotometrijos katalogas ir kiti duomenys. Iš CCD ekspozicijų Vilniaus sistemoje fotometrijos daugumai fotometruotų žvaigždžių nustatyta: spektrinė ir šviesio klasė (MK sistemoje), spalvos ekscesas, tarpžvaigždinė ekstinkcija ir nuotolis. Tikslesniam padrikųjų spiečių amžiaus nustatymui iš naujo sukalibruota nulinio amžiaus pagrindinė seka Vilniaus fotometrinėje sistemoje. Ištirti du padrikieji žvaigždžių spiečiai esantys Šiaurės Amerikos ūko kryptimi ir patikrintas jų ryšys su aplinkine žvaigždėdaros sritimi. Aptikta apie 30 jaunų emisinių žvaigždžių ir 4 ar 5 žvaigždės, kurios galėtų būti ūkų jonizacijos šaltiniai. / A Milky Way region in the direction of the North America and Pelican Nebulae is investigated using CCD photometry of 2600 stars in the Vilnius seven-color system. Its central part was covered with a CCD camera on the Maksutov wide-field telescope of the Moletai Observatory. Deeper CCD exposures for most interesting selected targets were taken with the 1 m telescope of the USNO Flagstaff Station. The author developed a new method for CCD data processing trying to reduce systematic errors and to increase photometric accuracy. This allowed us to measure M67 stars with high precision and use it as a CCD standard region in all our subsequent observations. To investigate interstellar extinction law in the area we obtained spectra for 33 B-type stars with the 2.3 m telescope of Steward Observatory at Kitt Peak. We also used near-infrared 2MASS data and other data sources when they were available. From photometric results in the Vilnius system we determined two-dimensional spectral types, color excesses, interstellar extinctions and distances of ~1300 stars. For more accurate determination of open cluster ages we recalibrated the zero-age main sequence in absolute magnitude vs. color diagram of the Vilnius system. We also investigated the possible connection between two open clusters in the area and surrounding star-forming region. Young stellar objects and possible ionizing sources of the NAP gas clouds were identified.

The theory of stellar evolution and stellar structure relies on the observation of stars in di erent phases of their evolutionary cycle. The relation between observations and theory can be strengthened by obtaining observational data of a large sample of stars in a particular evolutionary phase. The search for Cephei stars, as conducted in this study, can contribute to the sample of known Cephei stars, where these interesting stars are massive non-supergiant early B-type stars, displaying pulsating behaviour which is not well understood. Stars tend to form in clusters where it can therefore be expected that young massive stars can be found in open clusters. For this reason two young southern open clusters were observed in order to search for B-type pulsating stars. The region of NGC 6204 and Hogg 22 was observed over a period of thirteen nights in Johnson B, V and I bands. NGC 6204 is believed to be the oldest cluster of the two at a distance of 0.8 kpc while the much younger Hogg 22 is more distant at 2.8 kpc. These two open clusters are located 6 arcminutes apart which made it possible to observe them simultaneously with a 12.8 12.8 arcminute eld of view. The observations were done with the newly installed 1600 telescope of the North-West University, South Africa. In order to do a variability search, periodic stars need to be identi ed from the cluster data, where a typical data set may contain thousands of scienti c images. In addition to the main motivation for this study, a pipeline was created in order to automate the photometry and data reduction processes. A Lomb-Scargle transform was applied to the stellar light curves in order to identify periodic sources. 354 signi cantly periodic stars were identi ed from the 3182 observed stars. Amongst them, two new possible Cephei stars were found together with a possible slowly pulsating B star (SPB), and numerous eclipsing binary systems. By using photometry of this region obtained by Forbes & Short (1996), instrumental magnitudes were transformed to a standard system in order to compare photometry results. From the constructed colour magnitude diagram of the two clusters, it could be seen that some stars, indicated by Forbes & Short (1996) to be cluster members, were in fact eld stars belonging to neither cluster. The reduction and photometry pipeline was implemented successfully on the data set, which also highlighted the importance of instrumentation and correct data analysis procedures. Possible improvements were identi ed in order to overcome di culties experienced during this study. / Thesis (MSc (Space Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The theory of stellar evolution and stellar structure relies on the observation of stars in di erent phases of their evolutionary cycle. The relation between observations and theory can be strengthened by obtaining observational data of a large sample of stars in a particular evolutionary phase. The search for Cephei stars, as conducted in this study, can contribute to the sample of known Cephei stars, where these interesting stars are massive non-supergiant early B-type stars, displaying pulsating behaviour which is not well understood. Stars tend to form in clusters where it can therefore be expected that young massive stars can be found in open clusters. For this reason two young southern open clusters were observed in order to search for B-type pulsating stars. The region of NGC 6204 and Hogg 22 was observed over a period of thirteen nights in Johnson B, V and I bands. NGC 6204 is believed to be the oldest cluster of the two at a distance of 0.8 kpc while the much younger Hogg 22 is more distant at 2.8 kpc. These two open clusters are located 6 arcminutes apart which made it possible to observe them simultaneously with a 12.8 12.8 arcminute eld of view. The observations were done with the newly installed 1600 telescope of the North-West University, South Africa. In order to do a variability search, periodic stars need to be identi ed from the cluster data, where a typical data set may contain thousands of scienti c images. In addition to the main motivation for this study, a pipeline was created in order to automate the photometry and data reduction processes. A Lomb-Scargle transform was applied to the stellar light curves in order to identify periodic sources. 354 signi cantly periodic stars were identi ed from the 3182 observed stars. Amongst them, two new possible Cephei stars were found together with a possible slowly pulsating B star (SPB), and numerous eclipsing binary systems. By using photometry of this region obtained by Forbes & Short (1996), instrumental magnitudes were transformed to a standard system in order to compare photometry results. From the constructed colour magnitude diagram of the two clusters, it could be seen that some stars, indicated by Forbes & Short (1996) to be cluster members, were in fact eld stars belonging to neither cluster. The reduction and photometry pipeline was implemented successfully on the data set, which also highlighted the importance of instrumentation and correct data analysis procedures. Possible improvements were identi ed in order to overcome di culties experienced during this study. / Thesis (MSc (Space Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013