DEEP CCD PHOTOMETRY OF THE DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXY LEO-I

We present B, V photometry of Leo I obtained with the Lick 2048 x 2048 CCD installed at the prime focus of the CFHT. The colour-magnitude diagram to V = 22.2 shows a wide giant branch and a red clump indicative of the presence of an intermediate-age population. Our observations do not detect any 'blue' horizontal branch. The apparent magnitudes of the red clump and of the carbon stars lead to a distance estimate of 205 +/- 25 kpc for Leo 1. We deduce, from the mean colour and the width of the giant branch, a value of [Fe/H] = - 1.6 and an upper limit in abundance dispersion of 0.25 dex. V magnitudes and B - V colours of the known carbon stars are given, and two additional carbon star candidates are identified. The Hodge & Wright variables are located, and a short list of magnitudes and colours is presented.