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Open clusters potentially provide an ideal environment for the search for transiting extrasolar planets since they feature a relatively large number of stars of the same known age and metallicity at the same distance. With this motivation, over a dozen open clusters are now being monitored by four different groups. We review the motivations and challenges for open cluster transit surveys for short-period giant planets. Our photometric monitoring survey (EXPLORE/OC) of Galactic southern open clusters was designed with the goals of maximizing the chance of finding and characterizing planets, and of providing for a statistically valuable astrophysical result in the case of no detections. We use the EXPLORE/OC data from two open clusters NGC 2660 and NGC 6208 to illustrate some of the largely unrecognized issues facing open cluster surveys including severe contamination by Galactic field stars ($>$ 80%) and relatively low number of cluster members for which high precision photometry can be obtained. We discuss how a careful selection of open cluster targets under a wide range of criteria such as cluster richness, observability, distance, and age can meet the challenges, maximizing chances to detect planet transits. In addition, we present the EXPLORE/OC observing strategy to optimize planet detection which includes high-cadence observing and continuously observing individual clusters rather than alternating between targets.
The EXPLORE Project expanded in 2003 to include a campaign to monitor rich southern open clusters for transits of extrasolar planets (EXPLORE/OC). In May and June 2003, we acquired precise, high-cadence photometry of the second open cluster in our ca
We present preliminary photometric results of a monitoring study of the open cluster NGC 2660 as part of the EXPLORE/OC project to find planetary transits in Galactic open clusters. Analyzing a total of 21000 stars (3000 stars with photometry to 1% o
Star clusters provide an excellent opportunity to study the role of environment on determining the frequencies of short period planets. They provide a large sample of stars which can be imaged simultaneously, with a common distance, age and pre-deter
A 52X52 field in the Lupus Galactic plane was observed with the ANU 1m telescope for 53 nights during 2005 and 2006 in a search for transiting Hot Jupiter planets. A total of 2200 images were obtained. We have sampled 120,000 stars via differential p
Open clusters are ideal targets for searching for transiting Hot Jupiters. They provide a relatively large concentration of stars on the sky and cluster members have similar metallicities, ages and distances. Fainter cluster members are likely to sho