The M31 dwarf spheroidal companion Andromeda V:: g′, r′, and i′ imaging with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph on Gemini North

Images obtained in g', r, and i' with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini North are used to investigate the metallicity and stellar content of the M31 dwarf spheroidal companion galaxy Andromeda V. Red giant branch (RGB) stars are traced out to radii in excess of 126" from the galaxy center, indicating that And V extends over a diameter approaching 1 kpc. The mean g'-i' color of the RGB does not change with radius. Based on the slope of the RGB in the (i', g'-i') color-magnitude diagram, we conclude that the metallicity of And V is [Fe/H] = -2.2 +/- 0.1. This is lower than earlier estimates and places And V squarely on the relation between metallicity and integrated brightness defined by other dwarf spheroidal and dwarf elliptical galaxies. In contrast to many of the Galaxy's dwarf spheroidal companions, there is no evidence for a statistically significant population of luminous asymptotic giant branch stars near the center of the galaxy.