Photometric investigation of the MBM 12 molecular cloud area in Aries. II. Cloud distance

Photoelectric magnitudes and color indices in the Vilnius seven-color system for 152 stars are used to investigate the interstellar extinction in the area of the Aries molecular cloud MBM 12, coinciding with the L1454 and L1457 dust clouds. Spectral types, absolute magnitudes, color excesses, interstellar extinctions and distances of the stars are determined. The plot of interstellar extinction Av versus distance shows that the dust cloud is situated at a distance of 325 pc, at 180 pc from the Galactic plane, and its true diameter is about 11 pc. The interstellar extinction law in the area is found to be normal, typical for the diffuse dust. Ten peculiar or unresolved binary stars and some heavily reddened stars are detected.