UBVRI CCD photometric studies of open clusters Berkeley 15, Czernik 18 and NGC 2401

Abstract

CCD photometric observations of three open clusters Berkeley 15 (=OCl 414), Czernik 18 (=OCl 426) and NGC 2401 (=OCl 588), obtained for the first time in UBVRI filters down to V=20 mag, are presented here. They are located at distances of 1259, 955 and 3467 parsecs with their respective ages estimated as ~5 x 109 years, ~0.8 to 1 x 109 years and ~1 x 109 years. While OCl 414 and OCl 426 are in the direction of the Auriga - Perseus constellations, OCl 588 is placed in the direction of Ophiuchus constellation in our Galaxy. The clusters studied here are of intermediate and old age category