Star lore
Mirfak
Direct answer
Mirfak is Alpha Persei, a luminous yellow-white supergiant and the brightest star in Perseus.
Mirfak is Perseus's brightest star at the heart of the Alpha Persei Cluster.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Constellations & Star Lore
- Related
- Alnitak, Mintaka, Mirach, Almach
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The story behind Mirfak
The Arabic-derived name refers to the elbow of the Pleiades, reflecting an older regional figure.
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Why Mirfak matters
Mirfak’s surrounding moving group gives binocular observers an expansive nearby association rather than a single isolated target.
How to read Mirfak
Follow Cassiopeia toward Perseus and center binoculars on Mirfak to reveal the loose stellar stream around it.
Mirfak in practice: an example
The Alpha Persei Cluster spreads across several degrees and therefore looks best at low magnification.
Where readings of Mirfak go wrong
Not every star projected near Mirfak belongs to the physical association.
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
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is Mirfak?
Mirfak is Alpha Persei, a luminous yellow-white supergiant and the brightest star in Perseus.
What do people get wrong about Mirfak?
Not every star projected near Mirfak belongs to the physical association.
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