We present a detailed dynamical study of the old (7 Gyr) open cluster NGC 188. Our combined radial-velocity data set spans a baseline of 35 years, a magnitude range of 12 ≤ V ≤ 16.5, and a 1° diameter region on the sky. Our magnitude limits include solar-mass main-sequence stars, subgiants, giants, and blue stragglers, and our spatial coverage extends radially to 11.5 core radii. We have measured radial velocities for 1014 stars in the direction of NGC 188 with a precision of 0.4 km s−1, and have calculated radial-velocity membership probabilities for stars with ≥ 3 measurements. We find 420 stars to be high-probability cluster members, including 137 spectroscopic binaries. These detectable binaries all have orbital periods of less than 104 days, and thus are hard. We have derived orbit solutions for 67 member binary stars, and use our 35 main-sequence binaries with orbit solutions to compare the eccentricity and period distributions with simulated observations of the Hurley et al. (2005) model of M67 (4.5 Gyr). We also compare the spatial distributions of cluster member populations.

The extensive stellar radial-velocity surveys of the WIYN Open Cluster Study now allow comprehensive studies of the solar-type hard-binary populations in open clusters as a function of age. We first describe an empirical “initial” hard-binary population as derived from the young open cluster NGC 2168 (M35). Given the limited analyses so far, the cluster binary population is indistinguishable from that of the field. We then compare the hard-binary population in the old open cluster NGC 188 to the binary population in the sophisticated N-body simulations of the old cluster M67 by Hurley et al. The binary populations in the cluster and the simulation show significant differences in binary frequency and fraction of circularized binaries, while otherwise showing similar orbital eccentricity distributions. Since the simulations were designed to match the encounter products in M67, such as blue stragglers, the large reduction in binary fraction indicated by the empirical results likely will also require changes in the simulation physics producing blue stragglers and other anomalous stars arising from stellar dynamics. We present three case studies of stars in open clusters which very likely are products of dynamical encounters between binaries and either single stars or other binaries: the M67 blue straggler S1082, the M67 sub-subgiant S1113, and the horizontal branch star 6819-3002 in the intermediate-age open cluster NGC 6819. Finally, we remind the reader of recent empirical results on the rates of tidal interactions, using tidal circularization periods in open clusters. Every indication is that current theories underestimate the effectiveness of tidal circularization, a result that need to be incorporated into dynamical simulations of dense stellar systems.

37 potential members of the red-giant branches of NGC 6192, NGC 6208 and NGC 6268 were observed in the UBV system, while 22 of them were also observed in the DDO system. The observations were made at La Silla and Cerro Tololo Inter-American observatories (Chile), using pulse-counting photoelectric photometers. Coravel radial velocities (RVs) were obtained at La Silla for 24 red giant candidates in the three clusters. Five stars of NGC 6192 have RVs in the narrow range -8.8 km/s < VR < -6.4 km/s, including two new spectroscopic binaries (SBs). Three stars of NGC 6208 – including a new SB – and three stars of NGC 6268 show similar RVs so that their physical membership to NGC 6208 and NGC 6268, respectively, is highly probable. Mean radial velocities are: -7.7 ± 0.38 km/s (NGC 6192), -32.21 ± 0.28 km/s (NGC 6208) and -15.11 ± 0.08 km/s (NGC 6268). We have also derived the following mean E(B-V) values from Janes (1977) iterative method: 0.63 ± 0.02 (NGC 6192), 0.31 ± 0.02 (NGC 6208) and 0.43 ± 0.02 (NGC 6268).

The parallax of the Pleiades has been mired in controversy ever since the very first astrometric measures in the late 1880s. Over a century later, the measures from the HIPPARCOS catalogue gave results which were inconsistent with the distance inferred from the fitting of the colour-magnitude diagram. We briefly review here the debate and focus on the various attempts made at solving the problem, and especially those using binary stars. The only double-lined eclipsing binary found so far in the Pleiades, HD 23642, provides not only the final answer to the problem but also, through detailed state-of-the-art analyses, the fundamental calibration for binaries in more distant clusters and hence in the Local Group. We discuss some of the various sources of systematic uncertainties that limit, so far, the accuracy of the measured stellar parameters to about 1% and the progress that is required to break this barrier.

We present new results of our ongoing project to find new magnetic stars in stellar groups and open clusters. Observations are carried out at the 6-m and 1-m telescopes of the Special Astrophysical Observatory. Candidates are selected by analyzing the profiles of the λ5200 broad, continuum features with low resolution spectra (a modification of the Cramer & Maeder method). These candidates are observed then with high resolution and a Zeeman analyzer. We present the measurements of 6 new magnetic stars and discuss results for 2 stars with outstanding magnetic fields. To date we found 31 new magnetic stars, listed for the most part in catalogues of stellar groups. Several stars have very strong magnetic fields, among them is the SrCrEu star HD 178892 with a surface magnetic field ${\rm B}_{\rm s}\geq 20\,{\rm kG}$.To search for other articles by the author(s) go to: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abstract_service.html