The pre-main-sequence star IP Persei

We present the results of high- and low-resolution spectroscopic and broadb and multicolour photometric observations of the emission-line A-type star I P Per. Significant variations of the Balmer line profiles and near-IR brigh tness are detected. Comparison with the spectra of other stars and theoreti cal models allowed us to derive its fundamental parameters as follows: T-ef f similar or equal to 8000 K, log g similar or equal to 4.4, log L-bol/L-. similar or equal to 1.0. They correspond to the MK type A7 v. We also found that the metallicity of the object's atmosphere is nearly 40 per cent that of the Sun. Our result for the star's gravity implies that it is located a t the zero-age main-sequence. We conclude that IP Per is a pre-main-sequenc e Herbig Ae star, and belongs to the group of UX Ori-type stars showing irr egular photometric minima. A recent result by Kovalchuk & Pugach (1997), th at IP Per is an evolved high-luminosity star, is not confirmed. The discrep ancy in the log g determination, which led to the difference in the luminos ity, seems to be due to uncertainties in the echelle data reduction for bro ad lines and a different estimate for the star's temperature.