Age determination of possible binary open clusters NGC 2383/NGC 2384 and Pismis 6/Pismis 8

TL;DR

This study estimates the ages of four open star clusters using 2MASS photometry and color-magnitude diagrams, identifying Pismis 6 and 8 as a potential binary system and NGC 2383 and 2384 as unrelated clusters.

Contribution

It provides new age estimates for these clusters and suggests a binary system for Pismis 6 and 8 based on similar ages and formation environment.

Findings

Pismis 6 and 8 likely formed together in the same molecular cloud.

NGC 2383 and 2384 have significantly different ages, indicating separate origins.

Pismis 6 and 8 are good candidates for a binary cluster system.

Abstract

Based on 2MASS J and Ks photometry for the open star clusters NGC 2383, NGC 2384,Pismis 6, Pismis 8 and using color magnitude diagrams with isochrones fit, we found an age of $\log ({age})$ = 8.3 (200 $\pm$ 6 Myr) for NGC 2383 and $\log ({age})$ = 6.9 (8 $\pm$ 6 Myr) for NGC 2384. For Pismis 6 and Pismis 8 we adopted a range of $\log ({age})$ = 6 - 7 (1 - 10 Myr). Because they similar ages, Pismis 6 and Pismis 8 may have been formed in the same Giant Molecular Cloud, and we concluded they are a good candidate for a binary system. In the case of NGC 2383 and NGC 2384, because the big age difference found we conclude that most probably they are born in different environments and as well are not physically connected.