A Comprehensive Study of Czernik 41 and NGC 1342 Using CCD <i>UBV</i> and Gaia DR3 Data

Abstract In this study, the structural, astrophysical, kinematic, and Galactic orbital parameters of the open clusters Czernik 41 and NGC 1342, as well as their dynamical evolution, are investigated using CCD UBV photometry and Gaia data. By applying the UPMASK algorithm to Gaia astrometric data for the estimation of cluster membership probabilities, we have determined that 382 stars in Czernik 41 and 111 stars in NGC 1342 exhibit the highest statistical likelihood of being cluster members. Fundamental parameters (including reddening, metallicity, distance, and age) were derived using both classical methods, where parameters are determined separately, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, where parameters are estimated simultaneously. The results obtained from both approaches are in agreement, confirming the reliability of the derived parameters and demonstrating their robustness against potential degeneracies. The distances to Czernik 41 and NGC 1342 were determined as 2485 ± 151 pc and 645 ± 42 pc, respectively, while their ages were estimated to be 69 ± 10 Myr and 1000 ± 50 Myr. The metallicity values ([Fe/H]) were found to be 0.07 ± 0.09 dex for Czernik 41 and −0.14 ± 0.07 dex for NGC 1342. The stellar mass functions for both clusters were derived, yielding slopes of Γ = 1.67 ± 0.23 for Czernik 41 and Γ = 1.56 ± 0.41 for NGC 1342. A kinematic orbit analysis indicates that Czernik 41 originated within the solar circle, whereas NGC 1342 formed outside it.