Summary: | A set of UBV plates of the heavily-extinguished open cluster NGC 7419,
obtained at the Observatoire Astronomique du Mont Megantic by Anthony F. J.
Moffat, were digitized by the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory PDS (Photometric
Data Systems, Perkin-Elmer Corporation) machine. The data was subsequently processed
by Greg Fahlman and Chris Pritchett's TOODEE Command Language, and later John
Nicol's SUPERTOODEE Command Language. The resulting set of intensity indices were
calibrated in the UBV system using Handschel and Sandage's magnitudes into a set of
observed magnitudes. These were then de-reddened and de-extinguished with the help
of an updated variation of Serkowski's (1956) method. Handschel's claim of differential
reddening across the face of the cluster was examined and found valid. Using our
own Zero-Age main sequence culled from several sources, the distance modulus was
estimated at 13.9 ± 0.1 mag. Comparison of our color-magnitude diagram with those
of other young clusters as well as with theoretical isochrones leads us to estimate the
cluster as being as young as, or younger than, 10 million years, although serious
problems with the photometry preclude any further analysis. Low-resolution Reticon
spectra were obtained with the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory's 180 cm telescope
of some of the cluster's stars in the hope of measuring radial velocities. The spectra
were processed with Stephenson Yang's RETICENT Command Language. These were
used to attempt to resolve the question of the possible membership of the
fringe-dwelling carbon star. The low-weight determinations obtained for the carbon star
and another possible cluster member are inconclusive and stress the need for a more
careful study of the problem. In conclusion, the cluster's color-magnitude turnoff was
observed, and its age and distance evaluated as 5 ± 5 Ma and 6.0 ± 0.3 kpc
respectively. Average extinction was found to be A[sub v] = 5.85, and reddening E(B-V) =
1.77. === Science, Faculty of === Physics and Astronomy, Department of === Graduate
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