It is well known that stars are born as clusters initially and over time these clusters evaporate and/or disrupt enriching the general field population. Open clusters are formed in the Galactic disc and are distributed throughout it. They are ideal objects for focusing on several astrophysical problems, such as star formation, stellar evolution and dynamic evolution of stellar systems as well as chemical evolution of the Galactic disc. Emergence from their gaseous and dusty cocoons highlights the interaction of stellar systems with the interstellar medium (ISM). Analysis of the Galactic cluster population, either as a whole or in age groups has provided wealth of insight on the morphology and dynamics of spiral arms, the various scales of Milky Way (disk heights, distance to Galactic centre, extension of the warp, flare, and others), Galactic rotation, formation and development of the Milky Way.

According to the recently updated version 3.0 (20 April 2010) of the Dias et al.’s (2002, http://www.astro.iag.usp.br/~wilton) open cluster catalogue, 2095 open clusters exist in the Milky Way disc. Unfortunately, fundamental parameters like distances, reddening and ages are available for fewer than half of the open clusters in this sample. The study of open clusters, especially the estimation of their distances, is very valuable for a better understanding of galactic spiral structure. All we know about the majority of the catalogued clusters are their positions and approximate angular sizes, which are inaccurate in many cases. To examine or for better understanding of mass function (MF) of clusters, we must improve the statistics of well-studied open clusters. In fact, the greater the number of clusters with well determined cluster parameters like cluster membership, distances, reddening and ages would lead to more accurate estimation of MF. This is one of the major fields of research at MPBIFR.

Papers Published in Refereed Journals:

1. “Mass function of open clusters NGC 1857 and Czernik 25”
   Sujatha, S., Babu, G. S. D. and Sharath Ananthamurthy, Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 34, 357 – 373, 2006.
2. “NGC 1624 (OCl 403, Cr 53)– A very young open cluster”
   Sujatha, S. and Babu G. S. D., Astrophysics and Space Sciences, 305, 399 - 410, 2006.
3. “UBVRI CCD photometric studies of open clusters Berkeley 15, Czernik 18 and NGC 2401”
   Sujatha, S., Babu G. S. D. and Sharath Ananthamurthy, Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 32, 205-  309, 2004.
4. “Study of Old Open Clusters NGC 1605, Czernik 18 and NGC 2509”
   Sujatha, S. and Babu G. S. D., Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 31, 379-382, 2003.
5. “Study of Open Cluster NGC 2509”
   Sujatha, S. and Babu, G. S. D., Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 31, 9-18, 2003.

Publications in Conference Proceedings:

1. “Initial Mass Function of Faint Young Open Clusters”
   Sujatha, S., Proceedings of the 11th Asian-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting, 2011 (in press).
2. “NGC 2254 – The First UBVRI CCD Analysis of the not-so-well Studied Open Cluster”
   Sujatha, S., Malvika G., Ravi Babu S. and Babu G. S. D Proceedings of the 11th Asian-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting, 2011 (in press).
3. “Fundamental Parameters of the not-so-well Studied Open Cluster Be 28”
   Sujatha S., Urmi Doshi, Nidhi Sinha and G. S. D. Babu, presented at the 16th National Space Science Symposium, 2010 (abstract only).
4. “Fundamental Parameters of Not-so-well Studied open clusters Berkeley 72 and Mayer3”
   Sujatha S., Paul Vinjeet, Lalitha S., and G. S. D. Babu, Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 2009, (abstract only).
5. “Study of Initial Mass Function of Faint Young Open Clusters”
   Sujatha S., Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 2009, (abstract only).
6. “Initial Mass Function of Faint Young Open Clusters”
   Sujatha S., Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 2007 (abstract only)
7. “Atmospheric extinction at the Indian Astronomical Observatory, Hanle and the Vainu Bappu Observatory, Kavalur”
   Sujatha, S., Sriraghavan S.M., Jayakumar, K.J., and Babu G. S. D., Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 2005, 33, 373 – 373 (abstract only)
8. “Study of young open cluster NGC 1624 (OCl 403, Cr 53)”
   Sujatha, S., Sriraghavan S.M. and Babu G. S. D., Bulletin of Astronomical Society of India, 2005, 33, pp 372 – 372 (abstract only).
9. “First UBVRI CCD photometry of young open clusters Czernik 20 and Czernik 25”
   Sujatha, S., Proceedings of the 9th Asian-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting, pp 155 - 157, 2005.

Interesting Quote...

These neutrino observations are so exciting and significant that I think we're about to see the birth of an entirely new branch of astronomy: neutrino astronomy. Supernova explosions that are invisible to us because of dust clouds may occur in our galaxy as often as once every 10 years, and neutrino bursts could give us a way to study them.

— John N. Bahcall