| Abstract | Deep CCD images of NGC 185 taken with the "4-shooter" on the Hale 5 m telescope have been processed to find and photometrically measure RR Lyrae stars. 176 variable stars have been found, of which 151 are surmised to be RR Lyrae stars. Finding charts, periods, and light curves are presented. The RR Lyrae stars in this galaxy have a very wide distribution of periods (like ω Cen), indicating a wide range of metallicity. The mean magnitudes of the RR Lyraes is determined to be (g)=25.20 mag. A distance modulus of 23.79 is derived, based on the best currently available values of foreground extinction and mean absolute magnitudes of RR Lyrae stars. This is a significant improvement over previous estimates based on giant branch termination points and planetary nebulae. The data in this paper can be reinterpreted when uncertainties in extinction and mean magnitudes are resolved to obtain an improved distance modulus. |
