We present near-IR spectroscopy of red supergiant ( RSG ) stars in NGC 6822 , obtained with the new VLT-KMOS instrument .
From comparisons with model spectra in the J -band we determine the metallicity of 11 RSGs , finding a mean value of [ \bar { Z } ] = - 0.52 \pm 0.21 which agrees well with previous abundance studies of young stars and HII regions .
We also find an indication for a low-significance abundance gradient within the central 1 kpc .
We compare our results with those derived from older stellar populations and investigate the difference using a simple chemical evolution model .
By comparing the physical properties determined for RSGs in NGC 6822 with those derived using the same technique in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds , we show that there appears to be no significant temperature variation of RSGs with respect to metallicity , in contrast with recent evolutionary models .