The WINGS Survey: a progress report

A two-band (B and V ) wide–field imaging survey of a complete, all–sky X–ray selected sample of 78 clusters in the redshift range z = 0.04 − 0.07 is presented. The aim of this survey is to provide the astronomical community with a complete set of homogeneous, CCD–based surface photometry and morphological data of nearby cluster galaxies located within 1.5 Mpc from the cluster center. The data collection has been completed in seven observing runs at the INT and ESO 2.2-m telescopes. For each cluster, photometric data of about 2500 galaxies (down to V ∼ 23) and detailed morphological information of about 600 galaxies (down to V ∼ 21) are obtained by using specially designed automatic tools. As a natural follow up of the photometric survey, we also illustrate a long term spectroscopic program we are carrying out with the WHT-WYFFOS and AAT-2dF multifiber spectrographs. Star formation rates and histories, as well as metallicity estimates will be derived for about 350 galaxies per cluster from the line indices and equivalent widths measurements, allowing us to explore the link between the spectral properties and the morphological evolution in highto low-density environments, and across a wide range in cluster X-ray luminosities and optical properties.