Searching for variable stars in Galactic Open Clusters

TL;DR

This project systematically searches for variable stars in Galactic Open Clusters using Geneva filters, aiming to understand their properties and relation to cluster characteristics, with preliminary results from cluster IC 4651.

Contribution

It introduces a long-term, systematic observational approach to identify and analyze variable stars in multiple Galactic Open Clusters, linking stellar variability to cluster properties.

Findings

Preliminary variable star detections in IC 4651

Establishment of a long-term observational framework

Initial insights into variable star-cluster property connections

Abstract

A long-term project, aiming at systematic search for variable stars in Galactic Open Clusters, was started at the Geneva Observatory in 2002. We have been observing regularly a sample of twenty-seven Galactic Open Clusters in the U, B, V Geneva filters. The goal is to identify and to study their variable stars, as well as the connection between the variable stars in a cluster and the cluster properties. We present the status of this work in progress, and show preliminary results for one of these clusters, IC 4651.