CCD Photometry of the Globular Cluster NGC 4833 and Extinction Near the Galactic Plane

Abstract

We present CCD photometry for the Galactic globular cluster NGC 4833. Our BVI color magnitude diagrams (CMD) extend from above the red giant branch (RGB) tip to several magnitudes below the main sequence turnoff. The principal sequences of the cluster show the effects of differential reddening. We have created a local extinction map, consistent with IRAS and COBE/DIRBE dust maps of the region. We use our map to correct the colors and magnitudes of each star to the value at the cluster center. The cluster horizontal branch (HB) is predominately blueward of the instability strip with 13 confirmed RR Lyrae variables and 5 additional RR Lyrae candidates. Using the 11 confirmed RR Lyraes measured on our images, and the differential reddening corrected photometry we calculate V(HB) = 15.56 +/- 0.063. We have used the simultaneous reddening and metallicity method of Sarajedini (1994) to find the mean reddening of the cluster E(B-V) = 0.32 +/- 0.03, and the mean metallicity [Fe/H] = -1.83 +/- 0.14. As for the age of NGC 4833, we find provisional evidence that NGC 4833 is 2 +/- 1 Gyr older than the average of M92 and M5. A more definitive conclusion must await higher resolution imaging of the cluster core where the effects of differential reddening are minimized.