We have obtained V and I-band photometry for about 700 stars in the field of the dwarf irregular galaxy IC 5152 , previously considered a possible member of the Local Group .
Deep VI color–magnitude diagrams are presented of the main body of this galaxy and of a nearby field .
We infer a distance by comparison with the VI color–magnitude diagrams of similar galaxies and with theoretical isochrones .
The distance modulus to IC 5152 is found to be m - M _ { o } = 26.15 \pm 0.2 , adopting E ( V - I ) = 0 .
This distance of D = 1.7 Mpc implies that IC 5152 is not a certain member of the Local Group .
We also construct a deep optical luminosity function .
By comparison with theoretical isochrones , we find a metallicity Z \approx 0.002 , which is lower than previous estimates .
Using this metallicity and distance , IC 5152 now fits the metallicity–luminosity relation for dwarf galaxies .
The youngest stars in the field studied have an age of \sim 10 ^ { 7 } Gyr , and there is a substantial population of stars with \log~ { } t > 7.8 - 8 yr .
The central region of IC 5152 is an active site of star formation , as found by comparing our optical photometry with Hubble Space Telescope ultraviolet images .
Several candidate globular clusters are found , as well as a candidate for a potential nucleus .