We present the first determination of the near-infrared K−band luminosity function of field galaxies from a wide field K−selected redshift survey. The best fit Schechter function parameters are M * = −23.12 + 5log(h), α = −0.91, and φ * = 1.66 × 10 −2 h 3 Mpc −3 . We estimate that systematics are no more than 0.1mag in M * and 0.1 in α, which is comparable to the statistical errors on this measurement.

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We present bright galaxy number counts measured with linear detectors in the B, V , I, and K bands in two fields covering nearly 10 square degrees. All of our measurements are consistent with passive evolution models, and do not confirm the steep slope measured in other surveys at bright magnitudes. Throughout the range 16 < B < 19, our B−band counts are consistent with the "high normalization" models proposed to reduce the faint blue galaxy problem. Our K−band counts agree with previous measurements, and have reached a fair sample of the universe in the magnitude range where evolution and K-corrections are well understood.

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We describe an instrumental configuration for detecting large gas-giant planets orbiting main sequence stars via the small drop in stellar brightness that occurs when the planet transits the stellar disk. Our proposed scheme involves the long-term monitoring of the light-curves of tens of thousands of stars using a Schmidt telescope coupled to a CCD via a bundle of 10,000 optical fibres. Using an existing theoretical model of planetary system formation we calculate a detection rate of 14 transits per year for our proposed system.