Photometry of the rich cluster of galaxies 0004.8-3450

Photographic photometry in <it>b, r</it> and <it>i</it> wavebands of an extremely rich cluster of galaxies at <f>00^\\,04^.8-34^\∘ \\,50\</f> is presented. The cluster is centred on an unusually elongated cD galaxy. The brighter members of this cluster tend to lie along the axis of the cD. The luminosity function for 1552 galaxies shows, after application of a suitable correction for non-members, a form more characteristic of loose clusters with some spirals than of clusters with cD galaxies. The colour–magnitude and colour–colour diagrams for a smaller sample of galaxies are discussed. The distributions of very red and blue galaxies show no evidence for a significant proportion of either being cluster members. The cluster probably contains few spirals, although it appears to lie in a supercluster which may contain spirals. A few galaxies are unusually bright in the <it>i</it> band, their properties are discussed briefly. There is some evidence for a deficiency of other elongated galaxies with the same position angle as the cD. The cluster itself is aligned with the cD.