Astrology Aspects: What Conjunctions, Sextiles, Squares, Trines and Oppositions Mean
Planets tell you what forces are in play; aspects tell you how those forces interact. A Sun trine Moon means what you want and what you need point the same way; a Sun square Moon means two inner voices often argue. Aspects are the richest layer of a birth chart, and one reason two people with the same sign can be so different.
The five major aspects
| Aspect | Nature | Our orb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| conjunction (0°) | Fusion | 8° (10° with the Sun or Moon) | The two planets are bound together and amplify each other. Whether that helps depends on the pair: Venus conjunct Jupiter flows easily, Mars conjunct Saturn is the accelerator and the brake pressed at once. |
| sextile (60°) | Opportunity | 5° (7° with the Sun or Moon) | A soft aspect: the two forces cooperate easily, but you have to take the initiative to use it. Left alone it stays potential. |
| square (90°) | Friction | 7° (9° with the Sun or Moon) | The two forces block each other. It is a source of inner conflict and pressure, and also the aspect most likely to force growth and spur action. |
| trine (120°) | Flow | 7° (9° with the Sun or Moon) | The most harmonious aspect: the planets share an element and naturally get along. It is talent you have without trying, and sometimes so easy that it never gets developed. |
| opposition (180°) | Tension | 8° (10° with the Sun or Moon) | The planets face each other across the zodiac, like two needs in a tug-of-war. The tension is often felt through other people (partners, rivals); the task is finding balance. |
Trines and sextiles are usually called soft aspects, squares and oppositions hard aspects, and a conjunction depends on the planets involved. Soft aspects are natural ease, hard aspects inner pressure; but astrologers often say a chart made only of soft aspects lacks drive, and hard aspects are frequently where a person achieves the most.
Orbs, applying and separating
Two planets are rarely exactly 90° apart, so each aspect has an orb, a margin of tolerance. We allow 7° for a square, so planets anywhere from 83° to 97° apart count as square. When the Sun or Moon is involved the orb widens by 2°, because the luminaries matter most in astrology. The smaller the orb, the "tighter" the aspect and the stronger its effect; orb settings differ between astrologers, which is a common reason aspect lists don't match from site to site.
Our chart also marks each aspect as applying or separating: applying when the two planets are moving toward the exact angle, separating when they have passed it and are moving apart. Tradition holds that an applying aspect is still building and stronger, while a separating one is a theme that has happened and is fading.
How many aspects does a chart usually have?
1,200 random birth moments between 1950 and 2010, cast for Taipei with our orbs.
Around 15 aspects is normal, so read them in order of priority: start with the tightest few, then look for any involving the Sun, the Moon or the ruler of the Ascendant. Not every aspect in a chart carries equal weight.
Reading the aspects in a real chart
Take a chart for July 15, 1975, 2:30 p.m. in Taipei (daylight saving time was in force that year, so it was actually UTC+9): Sun in Cancer, Scorpio rising. The four tightest aspects among the ten planets are:
| Aspect | Orb | Applying / separating |
|---|---|---|
| Sun conjunction Saturn | 0.3° | separating |
| Mercury sextile Venus | 0.5° | separating |
| Jupiter square Saturn | 0.8° | applying |
| Sun square Jupiter | 1.1° | applying |
To read an aspect, fit the meanings of the two planets into the nature of the angle. Take "Sun conjunction Saturn": the two planets are bound together and amplify each other. With an orb of only 0.3°, this aspect carries more weight in the chart than the others. You can cast your own with the birth chart calculator; its aspect list is already sorted from tightest to widest.
Unaspected planets
Occasionally a planet makes no major aspect to any of the other nine; this is an unaspected planet. It is uncommon in our Taipei sample: an unaspected Mercury in about 5.4% of charts, an unaspected Venus in about 5.2% of charts. Tradition says an unaspected planet works on its own; the qualities it stands for may come and go, feel hard to control, or switch on suddenly at some stage of life.
A straight word: a birth chart is a language, not a prophecy
A birth chart draws the sky at the moment you were born so you can talk about personality and life themes in terms of planets, signs and houses. The planetary positions are astronomical fact and can be calculated very precisely; readings such as "Mars in Aries means drive" are astrological tradition, not scientific findings. It is a fine tool for knowing yourself and sorting out your thoughts, but it cannot make decisions for you. Everything on this site is for reference and entertainment only; for health, investment or legal matters, please consult a professional.
Cast your full birth chart
Enter your birth date, time and place to get your Sun, Moon, Ascendant, all ten planets, the twelve houses and the aspects in one go, with a reading for each placement. Everything is calculated in your browser.
Aspects FAQ
Are squares and oppositions bad?
No. Hard aspects mean two forces lock horns, which brings pressure, but also drive. Many astrologers see hard aspects as where a person is most motivated and most likely to achieve something, while a chart of nothing but soft aspects can settle into comfort.
What orb should I use for aspects?
Astrologers differ, commonly 5°–10°. We use 8° for conjunctions and oppositions, 7° for squares and trines and 5° for sextiles, plus 2° when the Sun or Moon is involved. The tighter the orb, the more important the aspect.
What are applying and separating aspects?
An aspect is applying when the two planets are moving toward the exact angle and separating once they have passed it and are moving apart. Tradition holds that applying aspects are stronger and still developing. Our chart marks every aspect in the list.
Is a conjunction good or bad?
It depends on the planets. A conjunction binds two forces together and amplifies both: Venus conjunct Jupiter usually flows easily, while Mars conjunct Saturn ties drive to restriction, often stalling first and building stamina later.
How many aspects does a typical chart have?
In our Taipei sample the ten planets averaged 14.9 major aspects. Start with the tightest few and those involving the Sun and Moon.