We present deep UBVI_c_ photometric data of the young open cluster Westerlund 2. An abnormal reddening law of R_V,cl_=4.14+/-0.08 was found for the highly reddened early-type members (E(B-V)>=1.45), whereas a fairly normal reddening law of R_V,fg_=3.33+/-0.03 was confirmed for the foreground early-type stars (E(B-V)fg<1.05). The distance modulus was determined from zero-age main-sequence fitting to the reddening-corrected colour-magnitude diagram of the early-type members to be V_0_-M_V_=13.9+/-0.14 (random error) -0.1^+0.4^ (the upper limit of systematic error) mag (d=6.0+/-0.4_-0.3_^+1.2^kpc). To obtain te initial mass function, pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars were selected by identifying the optical counterparts of Chandra X-ray sources and mid-infrared emission stars from the Spitzer GLIMPSE (Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire) source catalogue. The initial mass function shows a shallow slope of {Gamma}=-1.1+/-0.1 down to log(m)=0.7. The total mass of Westerlund 2 is estimated to be at least 7400M_{sun}_. The age of Westerlund 2 from the main-sequence turn-on and PMS stars is estimated to be <~1.5Myr. We confirmed the existence of a clump of PMS stars located ~1-arcmin north of the core of Westerlund 2, but we could not find any clear evidence for an age difference between the core and the northern clump.

Cone search capability for table J/MNRAS/446/3797/table2 (The combined photometric data obtained with the CTIO 4m and 1m telescopes)