Astrology Glossary · Aspects

Aspect

When two planets sit at a specific angle to each other in the sky, that is an aspect. The aspect carries the meaning. It is what makes a forecast say "these two planets are talking right now."

An aspect is the angle between two planets in the zodiac, measured in degrees of separation. Astrology recognises only a handful of those angles as meaningful: 0° (conjunction), 60° (sextile), 90° (square), 120° (trine), and 180° (opposition). Each carries a specific character of relationship.

What makes aspects matter is that they are the part of a chart that actually changes. A planet's position in a sign is a slow context; the aspect it forms with another planet is the temporary, moving conversation between them. When AIstra writes "Mercury squares Mars today," she means today, not in general — by tomorrow the angle will be slightly different.

Aspects are also where the symbolic and the literal meet. A trine between Venus and Jupiter does not predict an event; it describes a tone the day is likely to carry, easy and slightly indulgent. The aspect is the verb of the chart. The signs and houses are the setting.

As it appears in recent forecasts

… lash with your desire for logic, lean into the strangeness. The Sun trine Pluto aspect suggests that any project you start now could have a long-term impact on your reputation as a visionary. If you have be …

… ight, be cautious about over-committing your personal time. The sun trine Pluto aspect provides the stamina needed to push through complex obstacles, but it can also tempt you to burn the candle at both end …

Back to glossary index · Methodology · Sources