Mass function of understudied open clusters NGC 2254 and Mayer 2

Abstract

The results of the CCD photometric UBVRI observations of the open clusters NGC 2254 and Mayer 2 are presented in this article. These clusters were observed using the 2-metre Himalayan Chandra Telescope at Hanle, India. NGC 2254 is located in the direction of Monoceros constellation at a distance of 2.57 ± 0.2 kpc and Mayer 2 is located in the direction of Camelopardalis constellation at a distance of 4.46 ± 0.3 kpc, obtained from their distance moduli in four CMDs. The cluster radii of NGC 2254 and Mayer 2 are estimated as 3.5 ± 0.3 arc-min and 3.01 ± 0.2 arc-min, respectively. The interstellar reddening E(B-V) along the line of sight of NGC 2254 is found to be 0.53 ± 0.03 mag, whereas for Mayer 2 it is found to be 0.645 ± 0.08 mag. The log (ages) of the clusters are found to be 8.2 ± 0.36 for NGC 2254 and 9 ± 0.44 for Mayer 2 using the theoretical isochrones of solar metallicity. They were also used to obtain mass function from the apparent luminosity function. The mass function slope of NGC 2254 is determined as 2.63 ± 0.29 while Mayer 2 has a mass function slope of 2.9 ± 0.24.