We report new measures of radial velocities and rotation rates (v sin i) for 51 F and early G stars in the open cluster NGC 2516 and combine these with previously published data. From high signal-to-noise ratio spectra of two stars, we show that NGC 2516 has a relative iron abundance with respect to the Pleiades of Δ[Fe/H] = +0.04 ± 0.07 at the canonical reddening of E(B-V) = 0.12, in contrast to previous photometric studies that placed the cluster 0.2-0.4 dex below solar. We construct a color-magnitude diagram based on radial velocity members and explore the sensitivity of photometric determinations of the metallicity and distance to assumed values of the reddening. For a metal abundance near solar, the Hipparcos distance to NGC 2516 is probably underestimated. Finally, we show that the distribution of rotation rates and X-ray emission does not differ greatly from that of the Pleiades, when allowance is made for the somewhat older age of NGC 2516.

High-resolution spectroscopy is used to determine the detailed chemical abundances of a group of eight F- and G-type stars in the young open cluster Blanco 1. An average [Fe/H] of +0.04 ± 0.02 (internal error) ± 0.04 (external error) is found, considerably lower than a previous spectroscopic estimate for this cluster. The difference is due mainly to our adoption of significantly cooler temperatures that are consistent with both photometric and spectroscopic constraints. Blanco 1 exhibits subsolar [Ni/Fe](−0.18 ± 0.01 ± 0.01), [Si/Fe](−0.09 ± 0.02 ± 0.03), [Mg/Fe](−0.14 ± 0.02 ± 0.03) and [Ca/Fe](−0.09 ± 0.03 ± 0.03); ratios that are not observed among nearby field stars. The material from which Blanco 1 formed may not have been well mixed with interstellar matter in the galactic disc, which tallies with its current location about 240 pc below the galactic plane. A simultaneous deficit of Ni and alpha elements with respect to Fe is hard to reconcile with most published models of yields from supernovae of types Ia and II. The revised abundances for Blanco 1 indicate that overall radiative opacities in its stars, and hence convective zone properties at a given mass, are similar to those in the Pleiades at approximately the same age. This can explain a previous observation that the Li-depletion patterns of G- and K-type stars in the two clusters are indistinguishable. The lower overall metallicity of Blanco 1 now makes it less attractive as a target for discovering transiting, short-period exoplanets.

: As a curriculum learning area, physical education (PE) has continually struggled to gain status within an increasingly crowded curriculum. This frequently leads to a reduction in available time w...

Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A) is an international journal which publishes papers on all aspects of astronomy and astrophysics

Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A) is an international journal which publishes papers on all aspects of astronomy and astrophysics

Student engagement at university is significantly influenced by sense of belonging. In 2013, our university developed a novel extra-curricular program designed to foster a sense of belonging in students who commute to university – the Monash Non-Residential Colleges (NRC) program. This study examines whether participation in the Monash NRC program changed students’ perceptions about their university experience and their sense of belonging to the university community. We show that our NRC program appears to be effective in fostering a more positive university experience for students when compared with non-NRC students. Additionally, we demonstrate that our NRC program influenced students’ sense of belonging through increased interaction with peers and staff as well as greater reported attendance on campus.