PISMIS-3 - AN UNSTUDIED OLD OPEN CLUSTER

We have obtained CCD BV photometry for the open cluster Pismis 3 and a nearby field. This previously unstudied object appears to be rich, lo ose and strongly absorbed. Our analysis suggests that Pismis 3 is of i ntermediate age and probably metal poor. Adopting the theoretical meta l content Z = 0.008, which provides the best global fit, we obtain an age of about 2 Gyr. Simultaneously a color excess E(B-V) = 1.35 and an apparent distance modulus (m - M) = 14.70 are derived. These results put Pismis 3 about 1.5 Kpc distant from the Sun. The relation of the c luster with the surrounding field is also investigated.