AM-1, at ∼120 kpc, and Pal 14, at ∼70 kpc, are two of the most distant Galactic globular clusters known. We present Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 photometry of AM-1 and Pal 14 that reveals unprecedented depth and detail in the color-magnitude diagrams of these two clusters. Absolute and relative age measurements confirm that both are younger than the inner halo globular cluster M 3 by 1.5-2 Gyr assuming all three clusters have similar compositions. Thus AM-1 and Pal 14 join Pal 3, Pal 4, and Eridanus (studied by Stetson et al.) as distant Galactic globular clusters with red horizontal branches and young ages relative to the inner halo. Within the context of the entire body of research on the ages of second parameter globular clusters, the observed correlation between age and horizontal branch morphology suggests that age is the best candidate for the second parameter. However, this conclusion is tempered by the lack of precise chemical abundance determinations for a significant fraction of second parameter globular clusters.

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We present a comprehensive photometric study of the old open cluster, NGC 6819 using 1 • ×1 • field V I MOSAIC CCD imaging taken with the WIYN 0.9m telescope. The resultant color-magnitude diagram (CMD) shows a well developed main sequence (MS) extending from V ∼14.5 mag down to our photometric limit of V ∼21 mag. Fitting theoretical isochrones with adopted values of the reddening and metallicity (E(B − V ) =0.14, [F e/H] = +0.09 dex) to the observed CMD yields a distance modulus of (m − M ) 0 =11.93±0.10 and an age of ∼ 2.6 Gyr for NGC 6819. Our wide-field imaging reveals that NGC 6819 is larger in areal extent (R =13 ′ ) than previously thought. The wide-field also benefits our estimate of the degree of field star contamination, and ultimately yields improved measurements of the structural parameters (r c =2.80 ′ , r t =38.2 ′ , and r h =7 ′ ) and tidal mass of the cluster (M tid =3542.4 M ⊙ ). The flattened luminosity and mass functions indicate that NGC 6819 has experienced mass segregation as a result of its dynamical evolution. Our variability study of the cluster blue straggler star (BSS) population using the Welch-Stetson variability index (I W S ) has revealed a number of variable BSS candidates.

We present new near-infrared, JHK s , period–luminosity relations (PLRs) for RR Lyrae variables in the Messier 53 (M53 or NGC 5024) globular cluster. Multi-epoch JHK s observations, obtained with the WIRCam instrument on the 3.6 m Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope, are used for the first time to estimate precise mean magnitudes for 63 RR Lyrae stars in M53 including 29 fundamental-mode (RRab) and 34 first-overtone mode (RRc) variables. The JHK s -band PLRs for RR Lyrae stars are best constrained for RRab types with a minimal scatter of 22, 23, and 19 mmag, respectively. The combined sample of RR Lyrae is used to derive the K s -band PLR, K s = − 2.303 ( 0.063 ) log P + 15.212 ( 0.016 ) , exhibiting a 1σ dispersion of only 0.027 mag. Theoretical period–luminosity–metallicity (PLZ) relations are used to predict parallaxes for 400 Galactic RR Lyrae, resulting in a median parallax zero-point offset of −7 ± 3 μas in Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3), which increases to 22 ± 2 μas if the parallax corrections are applied. We also estimate a robust distance modulus, μ M53 = 16.403 ± 0.024 (statistical) ± 0.033 (systematic) mag, to M53 based on theoretical calibrations. Homogeneous and precise mean magnitudes for RR Lyrae in M53 together with similar literature data for M3, M4, M5, and ω Cen are used to empirically calibrate a new RR Lyrae PLZ K s relation, K s = − 0.848 ( 0.007 ) − 2.320 ( 0.006 ) log P + 0.166 ( 0.011 ) [ Fe / H ] , anchored with Gaia EDR3 distances and theoretically predicted relations, and to simultaneously estimate precise RR Lyrae-based distances to these globular clusters.

Messier 15 (NGC 7078) is an old and metal-poor post core-collapse globular cluster that hosts a rich population of variable stars. We report new optical (gi) and near-infrared (NIR, JK s ) multi-epoch observations for 129 RR Lyrae, 4 Population II Cepheids (3 BL Herculis, 1 W Virginis), and 1 anomalous Cepheid variable candidate in M15 obtained using the MegaCam and the WIRCam instruments on the 3.6 m Canada–France–Hawaii Telescope. Multi-band data are used to improve the periods and classification of variable stars, and determine accurate mean magnitudes and pulsational amplitudes from the light curves fitted with optical and NIR templates. We derive optical and NIR period–luminosity relations for RR Lyrae stars which are best constrained in the K s band, m K s = − 2.333 ( 0.054 ) log P + 13.948 ( 0.015 ) with a scatter of only 0.037 mag. Theoretical and empirical calibrations of RR Lyrae period–luminosity–metallicity relations are used to derive a true distance modulus to M15: 15.196 ± 0.026 (statistical) ± 0.039 (systematic) mag. Our precise distance moduli based on RR Lyrae stars and Population II Cepheid variables are mutually consistent and agree with recent distance measurements in the literature based on Gaia parallaxes and other independent methods.

We present a study of the stellar populations in two faint M31 dwarf satellites, Andromeda XI and Andromeda XIII. Using archival images from the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 onboard the Hubble Space Telescope, we characterize the horizontal branch (HB) morphologies and the RR Lyrae (RRL) populations of these two faint dwarf satellites. Our new template light‐curve fitting routine [Robust RR Lyrae light curve FITing (RRFIT)] has been used to detect and characterize RRL populations in both galaxies. The mean periods of RRab (RR0) stars in And XI and And XIII are 〈Pab〉= 0.621 ± 0.026 (error1) ± 0.022 (error2) and 0.648 ± 0.026 (error1) ± 0.022 (error2), respectively, where ‘error1’ represents the standard error of the mean, while ‘error2’ is based on our synthetic light‐curve simulations. The RRL populations in these galaxies show a lack of RRab stars with high amplitudes [Amp (V) > 1.0 mag] and relatively short periods ( d), yet their period–V‐band amplitude [P– Amp (V)] relations track the relation defined by the M31 field halo RRL populations at ∼11 kpc from the centre of M31. The metallicities of the RRab stars are calculated via a relationship between [Fe/H], log Pab and Amp(V). The resultant abundances ([ Fe/H ]And XI=−1.75; [ Fe/H ]And XIII=−1.74) are consistent with the values calculated from the red giant branch slope, indicating that our measurements are not significantly affected by RRL evolutionary away from the zero‐age HB. The distance to each galaxy, based on the absolute V magnitudes of the RRab stars, is (m−M)0, V= 24.33 ± 0.05 for And XI and (m−M)0, V= 24.62 ± 0.05 for And XIII. We discuss the origins of And XI and And XIII based on a comparative analysis of the luminosity–metallicity relation of Local Group dwarf galaxies.

We analyze Hubble Space Telescope observations of six globular clusters in the Large Magellanic Cloud from program GO-14164 in Cycle 23. These are the deepest available observations of the LMC globular cluster population; their uniformity facilitates a precise comparison with globular clusters in the Milky Way. Measuring the magnitude of the main sequence turnoff point relative to template Galactic globular clusters allows the relative ages of the clusters to be determined with a mean precision of 8.4%, and down to 6% for individual objects. We find that the mean age of our LMC cluster ensemble is identical to the mean age of the oldest metal-poor clusters in the Milky Way halo to 0.2 ± 0.4 Gyr. This provides the most sensitive test to date of the synchronicity of the earliest epoch of globular cluster formation in two independent galaxies. Horizontal branch magnitudes and subdwarf fitting to the main sequence allow us to determine distance estimates for each cluster, and examine their geometric distribution in the LMC. Using two different methods, we find an average distance to the LMC of 18.52 ± 0.05.

We present a multiple population search in two old Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) Globular Clusters, Hodge 11 and NGC 2210. This work uses data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope from programme GO-14164 in Cycle 23. Both of these clusters exhibit a broadened main sequence with the second population representing (20± ∼ 5)% for NGC 2210 and (30± ∼ 5)% for Hodge 11. In both clusters, the smaller population is redder than the primary population, suggesting CNO variations. Hodge 11 also displays a bluer second population in the horizontal branch, which is evidence for helium enhancement. However, even though NGC 2210 shows similarities to Hodge 11 in the main sequence, there does not appear to be a second population on NGC 2210's horizontal branch. This is the first photometric evidence that ancient LMC Globular Clusters exhibit multiple stellar populations.