The VELA star cloud. I - NGC 2547, TR 10, the Gamma Velorum system, and bright stars
The first results of an intermediate-band, large-scale photometricsurvey of the Vela star cloud are discussed. Attention is given to theluminosity and reddening, as well as the apparent or proper motions ofall the CPD stars near NGC 2547, the brightest stars in Trumpler 10, arandom selection of stars in the region of Gamma Velorum, and the HRstars. The similarity of the Alpha Persei cluster with the clusters inthe Vela sheet is shown, and it is found that the Vela sheet, at leastover the region surveyed, is nearly perpendicular to the line of sight.The probability is demonstrated that a thin sheet of coeval (2.5 x 10 tothe 7th yr) stars, some 425 pc distant and with a similar metalabundance, lies in front of a dense dark cloud.
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