We present the results of our stellar photometry and spectroscopy for the new Local Group galaxy VVÂ 124 ( UGC 4879 ) obtained with the 6-m BTA telescope .
The presence of a few bright supergiants in the galaxy indicates that the current star formation process is weak .
The apparent distribution of stars with different ages in VV 124 does not differ from the analogous distributions of stars in irregular galaxies , but the ratio of the numbers of young and old stars indicates that VVÂ 124 belongs to the rare Irr/Sph type of galaxies .
The old stars ( red giants ) form the most extended structure , a thick disk with an exponential decrease in the star number density to the edge .
Definitely , the young population unresolvable in images makes a great contribution to the background emission from the central galactic regions .
The presence of young stars is also confirmed by the [ O III ] emission line visible in the spectra that belongs to extensive diffuse galactic regions .
The mean radial velocity of several components ( two bright supergiants , the unresolvable stellar population , and the diffuse gas ) is v _ { h } = -70 \pm 15 km s ^ { -1 } and the velocity with which VVÂ 124 falls into the Local Group is v _ { LG } = -12 \pm 15 km s ^ { -1 } .
We confirm the distance to the galaxy ( D = 1.1 \pm 0.1 Â Mpc ) and the metallicity of red giants ( [ Fe/H ] = - 1.37 ) found by Kopylov et al .
( 2008 ) .
VV 124 is located on the periphery of the Local Group approximately at the same distance from MÂ 31 and our Galaxy and is isolated from other galaxies .
The galaxy LeoA nearest to it is 0.5 Mpc away .