Aspects and Relationships of Planets in Astrology

 

In astrology, Relationship is an angle the planets make to each other in the  horoscope, and also to the ascendant, midheaven, descendant, lower mid- heaven, and       other       points       of            astrological interest. Those      aspects        are      between     0     deg.   and    180 deg. i.e. between   the    conjunction    and    the opposition   with   a   specific     geometry    based    upon    the   division   of    Circle   or   Sections    in    numbers,  respectively.

Relationships are measured by the angular distance in degrees and minutes of ecliptic longitude between two points, as viewed from Earth. According to astrological tradition, they indicate the timing of transitions and develop- mental changes in the lives of people and affairs relative to the Earth.

As an example, if an astrologer creates a horoscope that shows the apparent positions of the celestial bodies at the time of a person's birth (a natal chart), and the angular distance between Mars and Venus is 92° of arc, the chart is said to have the aspect "Venus square Mars" with an orb of 2° (i.e., it is 2° away from being an exact square; a square is a 90° aspect). The more exact that a relationship is, the stronger or more dominant it is said to be in shaping character or manifesting change.

i.  Conjunction:  A conjunction is an angle of approximately 0-10°. An orb of approximately 10° is usually considered a conjunction, however if neither the Sun or Moon is involved, some consider the conjunction to be a separation (orb) of only about 0±08°. This is said to be the most powerful aspect, intensifying the effects of the involved planets mutually — and being a major point in the chart.  Whether the union is to be regarded as "positive" or "negative" depends upon what planets are involved: Venus, Jupiter and the Sun, in any possible combi- nation, is considered the most favourable scenario (and all three actually met on November 9–10, 1970, for example), while the most unfavourable configurations involve Mars, Saturn, and/or the Moon (with all three conjoining on March 10 in that same year). If the planets are under stress from other con- figurations, then the conjunction will be said to intensify the stress. When a planet is in very close conjunction to the Sun it is referred to as cazimi; when aplanet is moderately close to the Sun, it is said to be combust. The Sun and Moon are in conjunction monthly during the New Moon.

1. Quasi conjunction:  In a quasi conjunction, a planet in retrograde motion — always either Mercury or Venus, from the point of view of the Earth — will "drop back" in right ascension until it almost allows another planet to overtake it, but then the for- mer planet will resume its forward motion and thereafter appear to draw away from it again. This will occur in the morning sky, before dawn. The reverse may happen in the evening sky after dusk, with Mercury or Venus entering retrograde motion just as it is about to overtake another planet (often Mercury and Venus are both of the planets involved, and when this situation arises they may remain in very close visual proximity for several days or even longer). The quasi conjunction is reckoned as occurring at the time the distance in right ascension between the two planets is smallest, even though, when declination is taken into account, they may appear closer together shortly before or after this.

ii. Sextile: A sextile is an angle of 60° (1/6 of the 360° ecliptic, or 1/2 of a trine [120°]). A separation (orb) of 60±04° is considered a sextile. The sextile has been traditionally said to be similar in influence to the trine, but of less significance. It indicates ease of communication between the two elements involved, with compatibility and harmony between them, but only provides opportunity, requiring effort to gain its benefits.

iii. Square:  A square is an angle of 90° (1/4 of the 360° ecliptic, or 1/2 of an opposition [180°]). An orb of somewhere between 5° and 10° is usually allowed. As with the trine and the sextile, in the square, it is usually the outer or superior planet that has an effect on the inner or inferior one. Basically, the square's energy is similar to that of a trine but it is intensified to such an extent that the energy is said to be stressful.

iv. Trine:  A trine is an angle of 120° (1/3 of the 360° ecliptic), an orb of somewhere be- tween 5° and 10°. The trine indicates harmony and ease. The trine is a source of artistic and creative talent, which is innate. The trine has been traditionally assumed to be extremely beneficial.

v. Opposition:  An opposition is an angle of 180° (1/2 of the 360° ecliptic). An orb of some- where between 5° and 10° is usually allowed. Oppositions are said to be the second most powerful aspect. It resembles the conjunction although the difference between them is that the opposition causes exaggeration as it is not unifying like the conjunction but instead exalted.

vi. Declinations:  The parallel and anti – parallel (or contra – parallel) are two other aspects, which refer to degrees of declination above or below the ecliptic. They are considered strong influences, though not much research has gone into studying these particular aspects.

Name	Glyph	Degrees Apart*	Orb*	Strength	Nature
Conjunction		0	8 °	Major	Neutral
Semi-sextile		30	2°	Minor	Harmonious
Semi-square		45	2°	Minor	Tense
Sextile		60	4°	Major	Harmonious
Square		90	8°	Major	Tense
Trine		120	12°	Major	Harmonious
Sesquiquadrate		135	2°	Minor	Tense
Quincunx or  Inconjunct		150	2°	Minor	Tense
Opposition		180	8°	Major	Tense