Influence of Hipparcos on Hyades age estimates from three binary systems

Abstract

Three independent sets of stellar theoretical models are tested with well-detached systems of the Hyades open cluster: 51 Tau, V818 Tau, and $θ^2$ Tau. The choice of these objects is discussed and a statistical method is described and applied to the colour-magnitude diagram (CMD) of the selected stars, giving rise to contour levels in the metallicity-age plane. The effects of the Hipparcos parallaxes on these confidence regions, with influence on both age and metallicity, are studied for the V818 Tau system through a comparison with very accurate but older orbital parallaxes. Finally, theoretical simultaneous age-metallicity estimates are given for the three binaries and compared with observational constraints.