BVRI photometry of a few `unidentified' IRAS sources

Abstract

We selected 33 unidentified IRAS sources based on the following criteria: i) galactic latitude more than 2 deg, ii) have flux density higher than 1 Jy at 12 microns, iii) have good fluxes at 12, 25, and 60 microns with flux quality factor = 3, iv) and are in the declination zone between + 60 deg and -50 deg. We identified the optical counterparts of these sources on the POSS, ESO, and SERC sky survey prints. Out of the 33 sources studied by us, 30 have optical counterparts which are stellar in appearance. We have also made BVRI CCD photometry of the optical counterparts of these sources. The IRAS colours and optical photometry suggests that IRAS 00408+5933, 02408+5458, 04101+3103, 04278+2253, 04296+3429, 04386+5722, 05089+0459, 05113+1347, 05245+0022, 06403-0138, 07430+1115, 08005-2356, 09032-3953, 09370-4826, and 14429-4539 are most likely late type post-AGB stars with cold detached circumstellar envelopes and the rest are most likely AGB stars with dust shells