Berkeley 93 RVB photometry

CCD frames in B, V, and R were taken of the faint (V>=16m), previously unstudied open star cluster Berkeley 93 (Be 93). Our results indicate that this object is the core of a larger aggregate, is slightly evolved, strongly reddened [E(B-V)~1.5], and shows a pronounced variable reddening that is probably due to the location of the cluster inside (near the border) a dust cloud.

By far the reddest, and obviously most evolved star is a (variable) carbon star that-because of its reddening and location-appears to be a cluster member. We present arguments in favour of a large distance of more than 5kpc for Be 93 which possibly belongs to the galactic warp. As an addendum, we present six star concentrations discovered on the POSS or ESO/SERC atlas that might represent hitherto uncatalogued open star clusters of "Berkeley type."