Star formation in the Cepheus Flare region -: II.: A-type stars associated with IRAS sources

In order to reveal the star-forming history of the molecular cloud complex we studied the intermediate mass stellar population in the Cepheus Flare region. (Paper I dealt with the distance and the young stellar object candidates of the region.) Correlating the IRAS Point Source Catalogue and Faint Source Catalogue positions with those of 1214 B8-A8 and 1760 F0-F5 type stars brighter than V approximate to 13 mag and classified during an objective prism survey, we identified 19 stars showing far-infrared excess emission in the Cepheus Flare region. In addition to the 16 stars whose counterparts are given in the IRAS catalogues, we found three more stars with infrared excess not recognized before. In order to identify the young medium-mass stars associated with the Cepheus Flare molecular clouds we observed the optical spectra of the IR-excess stars, and using published optical photometry and the IRAS data we examined their spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and IRAS two-colour diagram. The observations resulted in the discovery of a new Herbig Ae/Be star, BD +68 degrees 1118, coinciding with IRAS 21169+6842. More evolved HAe/Be stars may be SAO 19953, BD +67 degrees 1314 and BD +69 degrees 1231, whose H alpha lines showed weak emission components. Possible beta Pictoris- or Vega-type stars may be HD 203854, HD 212826 and HD 216486, whereas the far-infrared fluxes at the positions of ED +72 degrees 1018, HD 210806 and HD 217903 can be attributed to the heating of the interstellar environment. We used distances and radial velocities of the stars derived from the spectroscopy and published optical photometry as indicators of their relations to the clouds. Information on the environment of the observed stars deduced from the diffuse interstellar band at lambda 6613 is briefly discussed.