Variable stars in Her dwarf galaxy

Using a variety of telescope/instrument facilities we secured about 50 V and 80 B epochs. These data allowed us to detect and characterize 10 pulsating variable stars in Hercules.

Our final sample includes six fundamental-mode (ab-type) and three first-overtone (c-type) RR Lyrae stars, and one Anomalous Cepheid. The average period of the ab-type RR Lyrae stars, <P_ab_>=0.68days ({sigma}=0.03days), places Hercules in the Oosterhoff II group, as found for almost the totality of the ultra-faint dwarf galaxies investigated so far for variability. The RR Lyrae stars were used to obtain independent estimates of the metallicity, reddening, and distance to Hercules, for which we find [Fe/H]=-2.30+/-0.15dex, E(B-V)=0.09+/-0.02mag, and (m-M)_0_=20.6+/-0.1mag, in good agreement with the literature values.