SIMBAD references

We present the first deep, optical, wide-field imaging survey of the young open cluster Collinder 359, complemented by near-infrared follow-up observations. This study is part of a large programme aimed at examining the dependence of the mass function on environment and time. We have surveyed 1.6 square degrees in the cluster, in the I and z filters, with the CFH12K camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii 3.6-m telescope down to completeness and detection limits in both filters of 22.0 and 24.0mag, respectively. Based on their location in the optical (I-z, I) colour-magnitude diagram, we have extracted new cluster member candidates in Collinder 359 spanning 1.3-0.03M_☉, assuming an age of 60 Myr and a distance of 450pc for the cluster. We have used the 2MASS database as well as our own near-infrared photometry to examine the membership status of the optically-selected cluster candidates. Comparison of the location of the most massive members in Collinder 359 in a (B-V, V) diagram with theoretical isochrones suggests that Collinder 359 is older than αPer but younger than the Pleiades. We discuss the possible relationship between Collinder 359 and IC4665 as both clusters harbour similar parameters, including proper motion, distance, and age.