Program: GS-2004B-Q-40

I propose to use GMOS on Gemini South to obtain moderately deep i' images of a field in the halo of the Sculptor Group Sc galaxy NGC 247. These data will complete an observing program started in Semester 2003B, at which time only r? images were recorded. A background field will be observed to monitor the contribution made by foreground stars and background galaxies. When combined with the r? data recorded in 2003B, the i? images will be used (1) to measure the mean metallicity of the NGC 247 halo at the same galactocentric radii as sampled in M33 and NGC 2403, which have morphologies and integrated brightnesses that are similar to NGC 247,(2) to search for luminous AGB stars, which have been detected in the halo of NGC 2403 (Davidge 2003), and (3) to measure the distance using the brightness of the RGB-tip.