Aspects — Conversations Between Planets

You've learned each planet on its own — now it's time to look at the relationships between planets. The Angle two planets form in the sky is called an aspect. Just like how a conversation changes depending on how far apart and how directly two people face each other, planets too help each other or collide depending on the angle. Aspects show how the many forces inside you cooperate or clash.

There are five representative angles. Conjunction (0°) is where two planets sit right on top of each other — an angle where the force merges into one. Sextile (60°) lightly helps out, an angle of opportunity; Trine (120°) flows smoothly without effort, an angle of natural talent. On the other hand, Square (90°) collides, an angle of tension, and Opposition (180°) stands face to face pulling back and forth, an angle of a balancing challenge.

Aspects can broadly be split into harmony aspects and tension aspects. Harmony aspects (trine, sextile) let force flow naturally, so they're used with ease, like Natural talents. Tension aspects (square, opposition) are uncomfortable in proportion to the collision, but that friction becomes the drive that grows you. People with lots of tension aspects are often the ones who end up growing the most. So think of a tension aspect as not a bad thing, but a growth muscle.

The more exact the angle, the stronger the force. Even if two planets drift a little off the exact angle, it still counts as an aspect up to a point — that allowed range is called the Orb. The smaller (more exact) the orb, the more clearly that relationship shows up in your life.