Fundamentals
Astrology aspects explained
Aspects are angles between planets. They give the chart dynamics: two planets can be in good signs but fight, or in contradictory signs and flow.
If planets are the actors and houses the stage, aspects are the relationships between actors. This guide covers the five majors with recommended orbs.
What an aspect is
An aspect is the angular distance between two planets along the zodiac. 0° = conjunction, 60° = sextile, 90° = square, 120° = trine, 180° = opposition.
The “orb” is the tolerance: at 119° we still call it a trine. Rule of thumb: up to 8° for conjunction/opposition, up to 6° for trine/square, up to 4° for sextile.
Conjunction (0°)
Two planets glued together. They merge: they act as one force. The quality depends on which planets. Sun-Moon conjunct = identity and emotion aligned. Mars-Saturn conjunct = contained action.
Opposition (180°)
Opposite poles. Push and pull. Integration means accepting that both sides exist and need their turn. It isn't “bad” — it's productive tension when you work it.
Trine (120°)
The easy aspect. Both planets sit in signs of the same element (fire, earth, air, or water) and get along. Risk: you take it for granted and never develop it. Untrained talent atrophies.
Square (90°)
Friction. Two planets in signs of similar modality but incompatible elements. The aspect that pushes growth most — and also the one most avoided. Most chart challenges come from squares.
Sextile (60°)
A kind opportunity. Available, but requires activation. If you don't use it, it stays quiet — but doesn't grow either. The sextile says: “there's a door open here, just walk in”.
Practical read: sort aspects by ascending orb and read the first 5-10. The rest is noise at the start.
Minor aspects (later)
Quincunx (150°), semisextile (30°), semisquare (45°), sesquisquare (135°). They add nuance after you've read the majors. You don't need them to start.