Images obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) are used to
investigate the stellar content and distance of the dwarf irregular galaxy Kar
50. The brightest object is an HII region, and the bright stellar content is
dominated by stars with g'-r' < 0. The tips of the main sequence and the red
giant branch are tentatively identified near r' = 24.9 and i' = 25.5,
respectively. The galaxy has a blue integrated color with no significant color
gradient, and we conclude that Kar 50 has experienced a recent galaxy-wide
episode of star formation. The distance estimated from the brightest blue stars
indicates that Kar 50 is behind the M81 group, and this is consistent with the
tentative RGB-tip brightness. Kar 50 has a remarkably flat central surface
brightness profile, even at wavelengths approaching 1um, although there is no
evidence of a bar. In the absence of another large star-forming episode, Kar 50
will evolve into a very low surface brightness galaxy.Comment: 17 pages of text and 8 postscript figures. Accepted for publication
in the PAS