Aspect Definitions

Astrology AspectsAn astrological aspect is an angle between two planets. The word aspect comes from the Latin aspicere, and means look. An aspect connects two or more planets, so they must deal with each other whether or not they like it.

Aspects transfer information, acting like a communication network between the planets. An aspect can nurture, diminish, modify or increase the function of the planet concerned, depending on the quality of the aspect and its angle.

Interpreting planetary aspects is essential for reading a horoscope to form a picture of a person’s character. However, individual aspects should not be considered in isolation, and they usually provide disconnected, even contradictory information.

If taken seriously, some negative judgmental interpretations may inhibit personal development. Each aspect only relates to a small part of your life, and it is critical to consider all aspects holistically, especially by looking at Aspect Patterns.

Major Aspects

Based on empirical results over thousands of years, major aspects in astrology are based on 30 degrees (30°) intervals measured around the zodiac:

Degree °AspectGlyphQualityColor
0ConjunctionSun/MoonOrange
30Semi-Sextile
MercuryGreen
60SextileVenusBlue
90SquareMarsRed
120TrineJupiterBlue
150QuincunxSaturnGreen
180OppositeSaturnRed

Conjunction

A conjunction occurs when two or more planets lie together. The quality of a conjunction depends on the planets or points involved, and it corresponds to a combination of different components that are hard to differentiate. This often causes a mainly embryonic state and indicates latent talent that must first be developed.

The conjunct planets can barely react to each other or be active with each other. For this, they need external help. If a conjunct stands alone in a horoscope (no aspects to other planets), the latent energy can lie dormant for a lifetime. But such a conjunction can develop if both planets align with the same fixed stars.

  • Angle: 0°.
  • Color: Orange.
  • Planetary Quality: Sun/Moon.
  • Keywords: Consolidation, connection, germination.

Semi-Sextile

A semi-sextile aspect indicates a need to experience, learn, discuss, read, and be informed about new things. It brings the information necessary to think objectively and neutrally. It helps you think in small steps, adding one piece of information to another until the collected perceptions make sense. It works by providing information, communicating, and reacting to external stimuli. It is easily influenced and often changes its opinion. Objectivity and indifference merge in the process.

The semi-sextile represents an experimental stage. It is a neutral attempt to test out a situation and determine what the environment is like. If all goes well, growth can continue. Everything that happens provides information and is temporary. Everything is possible, and much remains indefinite and brings no results and nothing conclusive. But a lot can still happen and happen quite differently. This aspect aids perception and helps find what is possible.

  • Angle: 30°.
  • Color: Green.
  • Planetary Quality: Mercury.
  • Keywords: Cognition, communication, informing.

Sextile

A sextile aspect corresponds to the Venus qualities of harmony-seeking and willingness to compromise. It is accepting, adaptable and able to attract and assimilate substance. There is usually a passive defense against losing a state of harmony and often a fear of conflict.

The sextile wants to enjoy beauty, survive, and reproduce and is receptive to every impression. Problems are possible with a sextile, but they are subtle problems that are not easy to detect. The sextile tries to avoid conflict but cannot easily tolerate hardship.

  • Angle: 60°.
  • Color: Blue
  • Planetary Quality: Venus.
  • Keywords: Striving for harmony, growth, assimilation.

Square

The nature of a square aspect is energetic, fiery and dynamic. There is usually a deployment of strength or energy supply, which nearly always causes an increased readiness for action and motivation. There is a lot of strength available for assertion and defense. But the square also generates conflict, friction, crises, stress and sometimes also a tendency to aggression.

Squares give the strength to struggle through difficulties and achieve things. Energy is transformed, resulting in achievement. The square is an achievement aspect; the planets involved are achievement tools. People with primarily red aspects are usually very hard-working, and problems only arise when they don’t know when to stop. Red aspects prepare people for effort, while blue aspects tempt them into pleasure.

Red aspects give energy, strength, motivation and readiness for action that makes performance and achievement possible. They trigger energetic processes in us and our environment, which can cause significant inner changes that provoke external resistance.

But red aspects give the courage and self-assertion to cope with them, overcome resistance, reduce inhibitions and fears, unblock deadlocks, and take on conflicts. It is only when things get us down, and we can’t do what should be done that internal and external conflicts arise.

  • Angle: 90°.
  • Color: Red.
  • Planetary Quality: Mars.
  • Keywords: Friction, stress, deployment of energy.

Trine

A trine aspect has a relaxed and harmonious effect. It is a material aspect that tends toward abundance, luxury and enjoyment and gives sensual pleasure. A trine represents talent but sometimes also perfectionism or obsessive behavior.

Too much abundance and partying can lead to a hangover. The delight goes, and nothing satisfies. Such over-saturation often leads to a mental crisis. People with many trines like convenience don’t want to make an effort and can be proud, arrogant and self-satisfied. They may not want to face reality and refuse to admit mistakes. Too many trines can make people ill, resigned and mentally weak. So this aspect carries no guarantee of good luck.

A trine represents

  • Angle: 120°.
  • Color: Blue.
  • Planetary Quality: Jupiter.
  • Keywords: Perfection, abundance, fruition.

Quincunx

A quincunx is an aspect of karmic imbalance that can affect health. It causes insecurities on the one hand and the other, the urge to achieve an imagined future goal. Sometimes it is also called the “longing aspect” or inconjunct. It often brings crises, uncertainty, and eventually the challenge of restricting oneself to a single goal, which aids decision-making. It is called “the large thinking step.” According to the planets or points involved, it causes a “Faustian struggle” with the truth.

The quincunx is associated with hoping and longing. You anticipate better times, wish for good and beautiful things, and imagine them as tangible. This is projecting thinking power, an imaginative ability to make things happen.

On the understanding level, thinking ahead that wanders far afield, planning ahead or striving for knowledge that is not yet there but that you are working toward. The quincunx means long deliberation, the prolonged thinking process that could lead to a better outcome. But this process often causes insecurity and crises of indecision.

  • Angle: 150°.
  • Color: Green.
  • Planetary Quality: Saturn.
  • Keywords: Longing, decision, development of informed opinion.

Opposition

An opposition aspect is formed when two or more planets or points lie opposite in the zodiac. The planetary principles involved often contradict each other, experienced as inner tension and often an energy blockage, stress, or postural rigidity. An opposition also generates inner strength and endurance, particularly relating to the axis subject. Sometimes there is an increased tendency for repression, in which lateral aspects are compensated.

The opposition represents hardship, coldness, standstill and crystallization. But it still offers a form of protection. A strong, impenetrable cover, providing defense, blockage and immunity. It is a waiting stage and preparing for a new cycle, so patience is essential.

Red aspects give energy, strength, motivation and readiness for action that makes performance and achievement possible. They trigger energetic processes in us and our environment, which can cause significant inner changes that provoke external resistance.

But red aspects give the courage and self-assertion to cope with them, overcome resistance, reduce inhibitions and fears, unblock deadlocks, and take on conflicts. It is only when things get us down, and we can’t do what should be done that internal and external conflicts arise.

  • Angle: 180°.
  • Color: Red.
  • Planetary Quality: Saturn.
  • Keywords: Pressure, tension, repression.

Aspect Orbs

The word orb comes from the Latin orbis and means radius. An aspect orb is a radius of influence of a few degrees on both sides of the aspect angle, within which the aspect is still effective. This varies according to the astrological importance of the planet and the aspect concerned.

The table below shows the suggested aspect orbs developed by Bruno Huber. [1] It was tested over 30 years at the Astrological Psychology Institute. More than a thousand active astrological consultants all over the world put the aspects of horoscopes to the test almost daily in personal consultation with their clients.

Huber Orb Table

Planet⚻ ⚹☌ ☍
☉ ☽ AC35689
☿ ♀ ♃ MC24567
♂ ♄1.53456
♅ ♆ ♇12345

From the table above, the Sun opposite Moon has a maximum orb of 9°.

For Sun opposite Pluto, the maximum orb for the Sun is 9°. But the maximum orb for Pluto is 5°, and I use the average of the two values, which is 7°.

So Sun square Mars would be the average of a Sun square (6°) and a Mars square (4°), which is 5°.

References
  1. Aspect Pattern Astrology, Bruno and Louise Huber, 2005, p. 26.

13 thoughts on “Aspect Definitions

  1. A very Great job!!! This has been confusing my head every now and then. Thank you for opening my eyes

    • Thank you Mwanyule. I was confused for many years about this too, especially the aspect orbs. This table is a great reference for my readings. The extensive research behind it gives me confidence that I am sharing accurate information.

  2. Thank you, Jamie, for this very useful and informative reference and lesson.
    Your simplicity in describing all things astrological, without ever being shallow, is a great gift.

    • Thank you! Mercury opposite Saturn keeps it succinct which is good for writing about complex subjucts. But Venus opposite Saturn does not give enough hugs which is sad for my family.

  3. Hi Jamie – I’m intrigued by the extra meanings of the angles.

    For me, semi-sextile always meant some sort of irritation. The “need to experience, learn, discuss, read and be informed about new things” surprises and inspires me. “Objectivity and indifference merging” I’ll have to give more thought to. I like “small thinking step”.

    Quincunx – Your explanation is several steps higher – way better than simply seeing a “need for adjustment. Large thinking step indeed. Will look at charts with a more informed approach thanks to you. This is much apreciated. Derek

  4. Jamie , your thoughts on the semi sextile ring true in my personal experience of my Sun ssx Mars. This aspect is harder to externalize or tap into than the sextile but it has been very powerful resource in my life.

  5. The clockface aesthetic, smile 1:49:45, and frown 8:39:45, semi-sextile and quincunx. in some Astrologyking symbol circles, Liz Greene for example, the smile is blue, the frown red. Hope we can overcome these revelations and, in time, there isn’t too much trade secret damage. It was inevitable. Clocks get smashed (Mars) and time dissolves (Neptune). Write a song for the radio. Do a trade deal.

  6. You can see Tesla’s 3,6,9 pattern all over the Zodiac. In houses we have with no placements, do the stars in those houses aspect with the houses where we have placements ? Example – I have Moon 24 Virgo and Moon 27 Virgo, do these aspect with my 11th house Cancer and the Stars at these degrees 27, 24 ? Or I have Mars at 28 Leo in the 12th does that aspect with my Pluto at 21 Libra, or trine with my Neptune at 22 Sag ? Could you let me know, anyone. Many thanks sharing your amazing work Jamie.

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