A scanned CCD search for Cepheids and other variables in Crux and Centaurus

The results of a photometric survey for variable stars in a 9.4 square degree region along the galactic plane in Crux and Centaurus are presented. A total of 300,308 stars were observed at seven epochs over 42 days; 224,524 of these stars were detected at multiple epochs and were tested for possible variations in brightness that exceed observational error. About 2422 stars are identified as variable at a formal confidence level of 99 percent; 270 of the new variables brighter than I = 14.0 are classified as long period variables. A list of 242 likely short period variables with rms amplitudes of less than 0.060 mag is given. From this list, 37 Cepheid candidates were selected after inspection of their light curves.