  We 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 NGC2301. 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 (2003)
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 NGC2301 might be white dwarfs.
