[11] Alpha Vulpeculae is a red giant of spectral class M1 and has an apparent magnitude of +4.4.

It has been analyzed as a member of the Arcturus stream, a group of stars with high proper motion and metal-poor properties thought to be the remnants of a small galaxy consumed by the Milky Way.

[7] It has an effective surface temperature of 3,690 K and a bolometric luminosity of 416 L☉, meaning that its radius is 43 R☉.

α Vulpeculae has been suspected to be variable in brightness by about a tenth of a magnitude, but this has never been confirmed.

[15] Analysis of the isotopic ratios in its photosphere show that it has a mass less than 1.5 M☉ and has not yet evolved to the asymptotic giant branch and experienced a third dredge up.