Dictionary term
Alpheratz
Direct answer
Alpheratz is Alpha Andromedae, a blue-white star forming the northeastern corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.
Alpheratz is Andromeda's bright gateway and the shared-looking corner of the Great Square.
Alpheratz is Andromeda's bright gateway and the shared-looking corner of the Great Square.
A symbolic locator, not a substitute for an observational chart at a specific place and time.Quick reference
- Use when
- Find the Great Square, choose its corner nearest Cassiopeia, and trace eastward from Alpheratz into Andromeda.
- Do not use it for
- Being a square corner does not make Alpheratz a current member of the constellation Pegasus.
- Reference category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related terms
- Menkar, Diphda, Markab, Scheat
The Chapter · Mystery School
Learn to read the sky for yourself
A mystery school of astrology with a worldwide chapter: letters on the chart and the soul, readings under one sky, and a rule of honesty about what the stars can and cannot say.
- The founding letter, with what the school studies and how it meets
- First word each season, when the doors open
- A seat at the gatherings, wherever in the world you are
Reading about Alpheratz? The chapter is where readers like you meet.
Founding circle · forming now
The list costs nothing. Word of the school and its gatherings, nothing else. Unsubscribe at any time.
The story behind Alpheratz
The star once carried the designation Delta Pegasi; modern boundaries assign it exclusively to Andromeda.
Alpheratz in spiritual tradition
Alpheratz is a threshold where one learned pattern opens directly into another.
Alpheratz: fact and faith, kept distinct
This is a factual sky reference. It can support wonder and orientation without turning a measured position or inherited pattern into a claim of fate or private revelation.
Alpheratz in numerology
Alpheratz is not a numerology claim. Any numbers attached to it should retain their ordinary scientific, calendrical, navigational, or historical meaning unless a separate symbolic interpretation is clearly labeled.
Why Alpheratz matters
It provides the primary handoff from Pegasus into Andromeda and demonstrates how asterisms can cross official boundaries.
Alpheratz at work: an example
Alpheratz, Mirach, and Almach form the principal chain used to locate M31.
Where interpretation stops
Alpheratz is presented as sourced astronomy, calendrical, Earth-science, cultural, or instrument-history reference. Definitions should distinguish measured phenomena from civil convention and historical interpretation, preserve location and time dependencies, and avoid turning factual sky data into a deterministic personal claim.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- IAU Division C Working Group on Star Names - Official IAU working group responsible for standardizing star names used in international astronomy.
- CDS SIMBAD Astronomical Database - Professional astronomical database for stellar identifiers, positions, classifications, and bibliography.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Also appears in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Aliases
- None listed
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
Enter Andromeda through Alpheratz
Alpheratz in a book is one thing; Alpheratz in your own birth chart is your life. The Oracle casts your real chart and tells you what it means for your love, your work, and your year ahead, in conversation, free.
Speak with the OracleRelated terms
More in Constellations & Star Lore
Common questions
What is Alpheratz?
Alpheratz is Alpha Andromedae, a blue-white star forming the northeastern corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.
How is Alpheratz used in an almanac?
Find the Great Square, choose its corner nearest Cassiopeia, and trace eastward from Alpheratz into Andromeda.
What should I avoid when interpreting Alpheratz?
Being a square corner does not make Alpheratz a current member of the constellation Pegasus.
