Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
Based on photographic Zeeman spectra a magnetic field has been detected for the giant star α Dra. One of the two periods derived for the magnetic changes can be interpreted as the half rotational period corresponding to a slight variation of the radial velocity of 3.57 days. The application of an eguatorially symmetric rotator model with a magnetic field dominated by the quadrupole moment leads to a good agreement with the observed magnetic variation. The orbital elements of α Dra were newly derived.