White Dwarfs in the Metal-Rich Open Cluster NGC 6253

TL;DR

This study uses deep imaging to observe white dwarfs in the metal-rich open cluster NGC 6253, aiming to determine its white dwarf age, examine anomalies, and understand white dwarf formation in high metallicity environments.

Contribution

First deep imaging of white dwarfs in NGC 6253, enabling analysis of white dwarf properties in a super metal-rich environment.

Findings

Initial data collection with deep images in g and i filters.

Ongoing analysis of white dwarf luminosity function.

Potential to identify anomalies and refine the initial-final mass relation.

Abstract

We have obtained 53 images with the $g$ filter and 19 images with the $i$ filter, each with 600-second exposures of the super metal rich open cluster NGC 6253 with the Gemini-South telescope to create deep images of the cluster to observe the cluster white dwarfs for the first time. We will analyze the white dwarf luminosity function to measure the cluster's white dwarf age, search for any anomalous features (as has been seen in the similarly metal rich cluster NGC 6791), and constrain the initial-final mass relation at high metallicities. We present an update on these observations and our program to study the formation of white dwarfs in super high metallicity environments.