Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars in the Phoenix Dwarf Galaxy

JHKs near-infrared photometry of stars in the Phoenix dwarf galaxy is presented and discussed. Combining these data with the optical photometry of Massey et al. allows a rather clean separation of field stars from Phoenix members. The discovery of a Mira variable (P = 425 days), which is almost certainly a carbon star, leads to an estimate of the distance modulus of 23.10 ± 0.18 that is consistent with other estimates and indicates the existence of a significant population of age ∼ 2 Gyr. The two carbon stars of Da Costa have Mbol = −3.8 and are consistent with belonging to a population of similar age; some other possible members of such a population are identified. A Da Costa non-carbon star is ∆Ks ∼ 0.3 mag brighter than these two carbon stars. It may be an AGB star of the dominant old population. The nature of other stars lying close to it in the Ks, (J − Ks) diagram needs studying.