Abstract
ABSTRACTWe present the results of a search for periodic variables within 4078 time-series light curves and an analysis of the period-color plane for stars in the field of the open cluster NGC 2301. One hundred thirty-eight periodic variables were discovered, of which five are eclipsing binary candidates with unequal minima. The remaining 133 periodic variables appear to consist mainly of late-type stars whose variation is due to rotation modulated by star spot activity. The determined periods range from less than a day to over 14 days and have nearly unreddened B - R colors in the range of 0.8 to 2.8. The Barnes () interpretation of the period-color plane of late type stars is tested with our data. Our data did not show distinct I and C sequences, likely due to nonmember field stars contaminating in the background, as we estimate the total contamination to be 43%. Using different assumptions, the gyrochronological age of the cluster is calculated to be 210 ± 25 Myr, which falls in the range of age values (164–250 Myr) determined by previous studies. Finally, we present evidence which nullifies the earlier suggestion that two of the variable stars in NGC 2301 might be white dwarfs.
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