STAR CHART: MILKY WAY GALAXY - QUADRANTS

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In interstellar mapping, a quadrant is one-fourth of the Milky Way Galaxy. The galaxy is divided into four quadrants, each forming a 90-degree pie wedge as seen from above or below the galaxy's plane. The four quadrants are labeled Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma. The United Federation of Planets is mostly located in the Alpha Quadrant, although parts spill over into Beta. Station Deep Space 9 is located in Alpha Quadrant. The Klingon and Romulan Empires are located in the Beta Quadrant, although they spill over into Alpha. The Borg homeworld is believed to be in the Delta Quadrant, while the Bajoran wormhole has one terminus in the Gamma Quadrant.

Quadrants and sectors have been used inconsistently in the various Star Trek episodes and films. During [TOS], the term quadrant was used rather freely, as was the term sector. At times, quadrant seemed to refer to a fourth of the entire galaxy, while at others it seemed to be a portion of a smaller region. It was not until [TNG: The Price] that the current system of Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma quadrants was firmly established. [Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country] adhered to this system as well. In [TNG: The Price], the two Ferengi named Kol and Arridor are transported through the Barzan wormhole and stranded in the Delta Quadrant. The sequel to the story is [#47 False Profits].