Brief description
How well do theoretical models of zero age main sequence stars
fit the available data? In this experiment students write a computer
code to construct colour-magnitude diagrams for a number of nearby open
clusters, determine the so-called 'ridge line' of the zero age main
sequence, and compare this observationally-determined ZAMS with
theoretical model predictions. This comparison allows the distance
of the open cluster to be measured; distance estimates can then be compared
with the results obtained (using the parallax method) by the HIPPARCOS
satellite.
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