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Aspects

Aspects between planets

An aspect is an angle between two planets, measured along the zodiac. It is the grammar of a chart: the signs say how each planet behaves and the houses say where, but the aspects say which parts of a person are wired to which, and on what terms.

The angles

• Conjunction0° · Two bodies in the same degree, fused until their functions are hard to tell apart.
• Opposition180° · Two bodies facing across the chart, each holding the half of a subject the other omits.
• Trine120° · A flowing angle between planets of one element, describing what a person does without trying.
• Square90° · A quarter turn between planets of one modality, describing friction that demands a resolution.
• Sextile60° · A mild supporting angle between compatible elements, offering ability that still has to be used.
• Quincunx150° · A hundred and fifty degrees between signs sharing nothing, describing adjustment without resolution.
• Semisextile30° · Thirty degrees between neighbouring signs, a faint contact between two unrelated parts of a chart.
• Semisquare45° · Forty-five degrees, half a square: a small persistent irritation between two functions.
• Sesquiquadrate135° · A square and a half, one hundred and thirty-five degrees: strain arriving obliquely.
• Quintile72° · Seventy-two degrees, a fifth of the circle, associated with a particular knack or style.
• Biquintile144° · Two fifths of the circle, one hundred and forty-four degrees, the quintile at a wider reach.

The planet pairs

All 45 pairs of the ten planets, each with what the two do together and how that changes between a soft aspect, a hard one and a conjunction.

• Sun and Moonidentity and instinct
• Sun and Mercurythe self and its voice
• Sun and Venusthe self and what it values
• Sun and Marspurpose and drive
• Sun and Jupiteridentity and expansion
• Sun and Saturnidentity and responsibility
• Sun and Uranusidentity and independence
• Sun and Neptuneidentity and imagination
• Sun and Plutoidentity and depth
• Moon and Mercuryfeeling and thinking
• Moon and Venusneed and affection
• Moon and Marsinstinct and assertion
• Moon and Jupiteremotional generosity
• Moon and Saturnneed and restraint
• Moon and Uranusinstinct and disruption
• Moon and Neptunefeeling without boundaries
• Moon and Plutoemotional intensity
• Mercury and Venusthought and taste
• Mercury and Marsmind and edge
• Mercury and Jupitermind and scope
• Mercury and Saturnmind and rigour
• Mercury and Uranusmind and invention
• Mercury and Neptunemind and imagination
• Mercury and Plutomind and depth
• Venus and Marsattraction and desire
• Venus and Jupiterpleasure and abundance
• Venus and Saturnlove and commitment
• Venus and Uranusaffection and freedom
• Venus and Neptunelove and idealisation
• Venus and Plutolove and intensity
• Mars and Jupiterdrive and confidence
• Mars and Saturndrive and discipline
• Mars and Uranusaction and unpredictability
• Mars and Neptuneaction and inspiration
• Mars and Plutodrive and power
• Jupiter and Saturnexpansion and structure
• Jupiter and Uranusopportunity and breakthrough
• Jupiter and Neptunefaith and vision
• Jupiter and Plutoconviction and power
• Saturn and Uranusorder and change
• Saturn and Neptunestructure and dissolution
• Saturn and Plutoendurance and reconstruction
• Uranus and Neptunea generation's imagination
• Uranus and Plutoa generation's upheaval
• Neptune and Plutoa generation's undercurrent

Orbs, and why exactness matters

An aspect is rarely perfect. The orb is how far from exact it is allowed to be and still count: about 8° for a conjunction or opposition, 7° for a trine or square, 5° for a sextile, and less for the minor angles. A pair involving the Sun or Moon is usually allowed about 2° more. The tighter the orb, the more the contact tends to show.

Cast your free chart to see your own aspects →