A New Look at the Old Star Cluster NGC 6791


Abstract in English

We present comprehensive cluster membership and gr photometry of the prototypical old, metal-rich Galactic star cluster NGC 6791. The proper-motion catalog contains 58,901 objects down to g=24, limited to a circular area of radius 30 arcmin. The highest precision of the proper motions is 0.08 mas/yr. Our proper motions confirm cluster membership of all main and also some rare constituents of NGC 6791. The total number of probable cluster members down to g=22 (M_V=+8) is 4800, corresponding to M_tot=5000 M_solar. New findings include an extended horizontal branch in this cluster. The angular radius of NGC 6791 is at least 15 arcmin (the effective radius is R_h=4.4 arcmin while the tidal radius is r_t=23 arcmin). The luminosity function of the cluster peaks at M_g=+4.5 and then steadily declines toward fainter magnitudes. Our data provide evidence that differential reddening may not be ignored in NGC 6791.

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