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Studying Variable Stars Discovered through Exoplanet-Transit Surveys: A "Research Opportunity Program" Project

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John R. Percy
Rahul Chandra
Mario Napoleone

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto ON, M5S 3H4, Canada

Received November 1, 2007; accepted November 5, 2007

Abstract
We discuss the study and classification of variable stars discovered as a by-product of searches for exoplanet transits—slight dimmings of stars by planets in orbit around them. We describe two specific projects carried out by undergraduate students in the University of Toronto's Research Opportunity Program. We discuss the nature of this program, in which second-year (sophomore) students can complete a research project for course credit.