Fundamental parameters and new variables of the galactic open cluster NGC 7128

CCD photometry in Johnson UBV and Stromgren uvby systems and medium-resolution spectroscopy of the galactic open cluster NGC 7128 are presented. Spectral types of the brightest 12 stars in the cluster field were determined based on equivalent widths of the Hac and the HeI 6678-Angstrom line. The spectroscopic observations also revealed two obvious and one probable Be-type stars showing H alpha emission. The analysis of the photometric diagrams gave a colour excess of E(B - V) = 1.03 +/- 0.06 mag, a distance modulus DM = 13.0 +/- 0.2 mag and an age above 10 Myr. Time-resolved photometric observations obtained on one night resulted in the detection of short time-scale light variations of seven new and three already known variable stars in the cluster field.