CCD UBV(RI)C photometry of twenty open clusters

Abstract Fundamental astrophysical parameters have been derived for 20 open clusters (OCs) using CCD UBV ( RI ) C photometric data observed with the 84 cm telescope at the San Pedro Martir National Astronomical Observatory, Mexico. The interstellar reddenings, metallicities, distances, and ages have been compared to the literature values. Significant differences are usually due to the usage of diverse empirical calibrations and differing assumptions, such as concerning cluster metallicity, as well as distinct isochrones which correspond to differing element-abundance ratios, internal stellar physics, and photometric systems. Different interstellar reddenings, as well as varying reduction and cluster-membership techniques, are also responsible for these kinds of systematic differences and errors. The morphological ages, which are derived from the morphological indices ( δ V and δ 1 ) in the CM diagrams, are in good agreement with the isochrone ages of 12 OCs, those with good red clump (RC) and red giant (RG) star candidates. No metal abundance gradient is detected for the range 6.82 ⩽ R GC ⩽ 15.37  kpc, nor any correlation between the cluster ages and metal abundances for these 20 OCs. Young, metal-poor OCs, observed here in the third Galactic quadrant, may be associated with stellar over-densities, such as that in Canis Major (Martin et al.) and the Monoceros Ring (Newberg et al.), or signatures of past accretion events, as discussed by Yong et al. and Carraro et al.