Photometry of the open cluster NGC 6996 in the North America Nebula

Abstract

Thirty stars in the direction of the open cluster NGC 6996 are measured in the Vilnius photometric system. Photometric spectral types, absolute magnitudes, interstellar reddenings, extinctions, and distances are determined for most of them. Fifteen stars are suspected to be cluster members. Their mean distance is 620±30 pc and mean extinctionAv is 1.74 mag. The extinction within the cluster is variable. The age of the cluster is of the order of 108 yr and this excludes the possibility that it is evolutionary related with the North America and Pelican Nebulae complex. The distance of this complex 550 pc is confirmed.