Astrology aspects
An aspect in astrology is the angle between two planets, or a planet and a chart point, measured in degrees along the zodiac, and the tradition reads that angle as the way the two relate. There are five classical aspects, the conjunction at 0 degrees, sextile at 60, square at 90, trine at 120 and opposition at 180, and a sixth, the quincunx at 150, added by later astrologers.
The six aspects at a glance
The angles are exact by definition. The orbs are the commonly used allowances, and astrologers differ on them.
| Aspect | Glyph | Angle | Signs apart | Common orb | Traditional label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conjunction | ☌︎ U+260C | 0 degrees | 0 | 8 degrees | Depends on the planets |
| Sextile | ⚹︎ U+26B9 | 60 degrees | 2 | 4 degrees | Soft |
| Square | □︎ U+25A1 | 90 degrees | 3 | 8 degrees | Hard |
| Trine | △︎ U+25B3 | 120 degrees | 4 | 8 degrees | Soft |
| Quincunx | ⚻︎ U+26BB | 150 degrees | 5 | 3 degrees | Neither: adjustment |
| Opposition | ☍︎ U+260D | 180 degrees | 6 | 8 degrees | Hard |
The six aspects, one page each
Every angle on its own page, with the signs that make it.
Conjunction
0 degrees: two planets fused into one blended function.
Sextile
60 degrees: a gentle opening that needs to be used.
Square
90 degrees: friction between two planets that forces action.
Trine
120 degrees: an easy flow within one element.
Quincunx
150 degrees: two planets with nothing in common.
Opposition
180 degrees: a polarity, two ends of one axis.
Planet pairs with measured searches
Three specific aspects people look up by name.
How an aspect is measured
Take the zodiac longitude of each body, a number from 0 to 360 that starts at 0 degrees of Aries. Subtract one from the other, and if the answer is more than 180, take it away from 360, so the result is always between 0 and 180. Compare that result with the six exact angles. If it falls within the allowed orb of one of them, the two bodies are in that aspect.
Because each sign is 30 degrees wide, the angle usually corresponds to a number of whole signs. A trine is four signs and a square is three. The two measures can disagree near a boundary, and astrologers who work by sign treat an out-of-sign aspect as weaker than one inside a sign.
Every aspect divides the 360 degree circle by a whole number: the conjunction by 1, the opposition by 2, the trine by 3, the square by 4 and the sextile by 6. This is the idea of a harmonic, and it is why the angles are 0, 180, 120, 90 and 60 and not arbitrary numbers. The quincunx is the odd one out, a 12th harmonic taken in steps of five.
Three words you need to read an aspect table
- Orb: the allowance on either side of the exact angle within which the aspect still counts. A tighter orb means a stronger aspect.
- Applying and separating: an aspect applies while the faster planet is still closing in on the exact angle and separates once it has passed it. The older texts weight applying aspects more heavily.
- Hard and soft: the traditional shorthand for the two families. The square and opposition are hard, the sextile and trine are soft, and the conjunction takes on the character of the planets involved.
Where to start with your own chart
You do not need to read every aspect. A short order of work gets you the meaningful ones first.
1. Get the positions
Enter your birth date, time and place in the birth chart calculator and note each planet's sign and degree.
2. Look for the tight ones
Aspects within 3 degrees of exact are the ones the tradition weights most. Aspects at the edge of the orb are real but quieter.
3. Start with the Sun, Moon and ascendant
These three carry the most weight, so aspects to them come before aspects between the outer planets.
4. Read the planets, then the angle
Work out what each planet stands for and then ask what the angle says about how they meet. The planet and sign pages cover the first part.
What astrology does and does not claim for aspects
In the tradition an aspect is a description, not a verdict. It is a symbolic way to say that two parts of a chart are linked and in what manner. No aspect on its own says that something will or will not happen, and the harder aspects are no more harmful than the soft ones are helpful. The pages in this cluster describe how the tradition reads each angle and leave the decision about what it means for a life to the person living it.
Frequently asked questions
What are the major aspects in astrology?
The conjunction (0 degrees), sextile (60), square (90), trine (120) and opposition (180). They are called the Ptolemaic aspects, after the second century astronomer Ptolemy who listed them.
Is the quincunx a major aspect?
Not in the classical list. The quincunx at 150 degrees was added by later astrologers and is usually called a minor aspect, though many modern charts include it.
Which aspects are good and which are bad?
The tradition calls the trine and sextile soft and the square and opposition hard, but it does not call them good and bad. Hard aspects bring pressure, and soft ones bring ease, and both are part of a chart.
How wide is an orb?
It varies. Many astrologers use about 8 degrees for the conjunction, square, trine and opposition, about 4 to 6 for the sextile, and 2 to 3 for the quincunx.
Keep going
Planets in signs · The 12 astrological houses · Planetary transits · Rising signs · Birth chart calculator · Ask an astrologer to read your chart