We present a determination of the distance modulus of the globular cluster
NGC 5904 (M 5), obtained by means of the subdwarf main-sequence fitting on the
(V,V-I) color-magnitude diagram. The subdwarf sample has been selected from the
HIPPARCOS catalog in a metallicity range homogeneous with the cluster ([Fe/H]
\~= -1.1). Both the cluster and the subdwarfs have been observed with the same
telescope+instrument+filters setup (namely, ESO-NTT equipped with the SUSI2
camera), in order to preserve homogeneity and reduce systematic uncertainties.
A set of archival HST data has then been used to obtain a deep and precise
ridge line. These have been accurately calibrated in the ground photometric
system by using the NTT data and used to fit the cluster distance modulus. By
adopting the most commonly accepted values for the reddening, E(B-V) = 0.035
and 0.03, we obtain respectively mu_0 = 14.44 +- 0.09 +- 0.07 and mu_0 = 14.41
+- 0.09 +- 0.07, in agreement with recent determinations.Comment: 11 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and
Astrophysic
