  We have obtained I-band photometry of the neutron star X-ray transient Aql
X--1 during quiescence. We find a periodicity at 2.487 cd-1, which we interpret
as twice the orbital frequency (19.30+/-0.05 h). Folding the data on the
orbital period, we model the light curve variations as the ellipsoidal
modulation of the secondary star. We determine the binary inclination to be
20--31 degrees (90 per cent confidence) and also 95 per cent upper limits to
the radial velocity semi-amplitude and rotational broadening of the secondary
star to be 117 kms-1 and 50 kms-1 respectively.
