Astrological Aspects
An aspect is the geometric angle between two points on a birth chart (typically two planets), measured in degrees along the zodiac. The five major aspects — conjunction (0°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°), and opposition (180°) — originate in Hellenistic astrology and remain the basis of the system used today.
- Conjunction0° — two planets at the same zodiac point, energies fused.
- Opposition180° — two planets on opposite sides of the chart, polarity tension.
- Trine120° — two planets of the same element, flow and harmony.
- Square90° — tension between planets of the same modality, friction that drives action.
- Sextile60° — compatible elements, opportunity that requires initiative.
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Frequently asked questions
- What is an 'orb' in reading aspects?
- It's the tolerance margin, in degrees, for considering an aspect valid even without perfect exactness — for example, two planets at 92° (instead of exactly 90°) can still be read as in square, within an orb of a few degrees. The acceptable orb size varies between astrologers and between the bodies involved.