081 -- Messier 41 Open Star Cluster Study

Using images of star cluster M41 taken by the WIYN (Wisconsin, Indiana, Yale, NOAO) 0.9 meter telescope in Kitt Peak National Observatory, a five-color photometric analysis is presented. This study determines age, metallicity, reddening and distance of the cluster. Specialized software was used to create a Point Spread Function (PSF) for the stellar light profile of each star in every frame. Stellar magnitudes were measured and averaged within the five filters (U, B, V, I, R) in order to create a master catalog for all the cluster’s stars. The photometric analysis was put onto the standard system by adjusting data to fit with Arlo Landolt’s Catalog (L92), thus allowing for efficient parameter calculations necessary for study.