DISCOVERY OF A TRANSITING PLANET AND EIGHT ECLIPSING BINARIES IN HATNet FIELD G205

We report the discovery of HAT-P-8b, a transiting planet with mass M-p = 1.52(-0.16)(+0.18) M-J, radius R-p = 1.50(-0.06)(+0.08) R-J, and photometric period P = 3.076 days. HAT-P-8b has a somewhat inflated radius for its mass, and a somewhat large mass for its period. The host star is a solar-metallicity F dwarf, with mass M-* = 1.28 +/- 0.04 M-circle dot and R-* = 1.52(-006)(+0.18) R-circle dot. HAT-P-8b was initially identified as one of the 32 transiting-planet candidates in HATNet field G205. We describe the procedures that we have used to follow up these candidates with spectroscopic and photometric observations, and we present a status report on our interpretation for 28 of the candidates. Eight are eclipsing binaries with orbital solutions whose periods are consistent with their photometric ephemerides; two of these spectroscopic orbits are single-lined and six are double-lined.