3/28/24, 8:10 AM Astrology Education | The Aspects

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What do the planets say?

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Aspects
Aspects are geometric relationships between planets, or where the planets lie in relation to each other.
To Magi Astrologers, the aspects are the tools of our trade.

Aspects in the Longitudes

The longitudes of the geocentric and heliocentric charts are very similar. The planets' movements are
simplified to circles and the aspects in this dimension are when the planets are at specific angles to one
another. There are three main types to consider here and they are based on dividing the circle into five,
seven and twelve equal parts.
The conjunction is common to all of these and is when one planet is very close to another or 0° apart. It is
included in the discussion of each of the different division types for completeness. We allow a certain
margin around the exact degree of an aspect, called an orb, which we'll discuss later.
Dividing the circle into five equal parts (Figure 1) gives us segments of 72° and we consider three aspects
here (Table 1).

Figure 1. Division of a circle into five equal parts.

Table 1. Aspects when dividing the longitude circle into five equal parts
Name SymbolAngle of SeparationNotes
Conjunction 0° Can be positive of negative depending on the planet involved

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Quintile 72° Chaotic and unpredictable

Biquintile 144° Chaotic and unpredictable

Dividing the circle into seven equal parts (Figure 2) gives us segments of 51.429° and we consider four
aspects here (Table 2).

Figure 2. Division of a circle into seven equal parts.

Table 2. Aspects when dividing the longitude circle into seven equal parts
Angle of
Name Symbol Notes
Separation
Can be positive of negative depending on the planet
Conjunction 0°
involved
Zodiac7one (septile) S 51.429° Neutral; depends on the planets involved
Zodiac7two (biseptile) S2 102.857° Neutral; depends on the planets involved
Zodiac7three
S3 154.286° Neutral; depends on the planets involved
(triseptile)

Dividing the circle into twelve equal parts (Figure 2) gives us segments of 30° and we consider seven
aspects here (Table 3). This is the most familiar and common way of division and gives us the twelve signs
of the Zodiac and the houses.

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Figure 3. Division of a circle into twelve equal parts.

Table 3. Aspects when dividing the longitude circle into twelve equal parts
Angle of
Name Symbol Notes
Separation
Conjunction 0° Can be positive or negative depending on the planet involved
Semi-sextile 30° Helpful
Sextile 60° Helpful
Square 90° Turbulent and difficult
Trine 120° Enhancement; very helpful
Complicated; negative for Saturnian-type planets, can also be too
Quincunx 150°
powerful and difficult to handle for other planets if too close to exact
Opposition 180° Turbulent and difficult
Let's first look at the aspect in the declinations/latitudes before looking at some examples.

Aspects in the Declinations/Latitudes

The declinations and latitudes exist in the geocentric and heliocentric perspectives respectively. They are
similar in that they are a measurement of the movement of the planets when the Solar System is view
from the side. The planets have an up-down movement. Another way of expressing it is that the planets
oscillate from a maximum to a minimum. Figure 4 shows this osculation as a sine wave; movement from
a maximum northerly position to a minimum southerly one.
This movement is most familiar to us as the Sun's apparent position changes during the year creating the
seasons. When the Sun is at its most northerly it is summer in the Northern hemisphere and winter in the
Southern, and vice versa when the Sun is at its most southerly position. These extreme positions
represent the solstices which occur in June and December. The equinoxes are when the Sun crosses the
Equator in March and September.
The Sun never moves greater than 23.44° North or South, but some of the other planets do (e.g.
Mercury).
When two planets are the same declinations (e.g. both 10° North) then we say that they are in parallel to
each other. When they are on opposite sides (e.g. one is 10° North and the other 10° South) then they are
contra-parallel.

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These are the two aspects that occur in the declinations. In the latitudes the same aspects are called
parallel and contra-latitude.

Figure 4. Graph of the declinations of the Sun over one year. Negative values are when the Sun is South of
the Equator, and positive values are when it is North.

Degree Orbs
We allow a certain margin around each aspect so that two planets don't have to be exactly in aspect.
These margins are called orbs and are as follows:
Longitudes (in both geocentric and heliocentric) = 3.0°
Declinations = 1.2°
Latitudes = 0.3°
This means that if two planets are 2.5° apart, we still consider them to be in a conjunction aspect to each
other.
Tight aspects occur when two planets are very close to being exactly in aspect to one another and these
aspects are considered to be very powerful.
When we are considering multi-planet symmetrical patterns or synchronisations, we allow a 4° orb of one
aspect in the longitudes.

Time Orb
There is another kind of orb that Magi Astrologers use; the time orb is the amount of time before or after
when an aspect is exact. For example, two planets may be in a trine aspect to each other and they will be
exactly trine in 19.7 days. Aspects are considered to be very powerful if two planets (specifically slow
moving planets) are in aspect and within 3.5 days of the aspect being exact.

Applying and Separating Aspects

An aspect may be applying or separating aspects relative to a specific date. For example, it is 2010 January
31 and a conjunction between Chiron and Neptune in the geocentric perspective is about 16 days from
being exact. In other words, the time when the aspect is exact is in the future. We call such aspects

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applying. On 2010 February 19, this aspect was exact over 2 days ago and we call aspects that have
occurred in the past separating.
Applying aspects are usually more powerful than separating ones.

Visualising Aspects
Aspects are indicated on charts by lines. However, it is sometimes difficult to draw a line when two
planets are in conjunction because the planets may be very close together. In all other cases lines drawn
between the planets show us what aspects exist between any planets.
The Magi Society's software indicates the different planets with different coloured lines. Let's look at
examples of each type of aspect as seen in this software.

Figure 5. Conjunction (0°) between Venus and Jupiter .

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Figure 6. Quintile (72°) between the Sun and Pluto .

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Figure 7. Biquintile (144°) between Mars and Pluto .

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Figure 8. Zodiac7one (51.429°), or septile, between Neptune and Pluto .

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Figure 9. Zociac7two (102.857°), or bi-septile, between the Moon and Pluto .

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Figure 10. Zodiac7three (154.286°), or tri-septile, between Mars and Pluto .

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Figure 11. Semi-sextile (30°) between Uranus and Neptune .

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Figure 12. Sextile (60°) between Ceres and Chiron .

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Figure 13. Square (90°) between Saturn and Pluto .

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Figure 14. Trine (120°) between Venus and Neptune .

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Figure 15. Quincunx (150°) between Venus and Uranus .

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Figure 16. Opposition (180°) between Vesta and Jupiter .

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Figure 17. A typical geocentric chart showing the aspects between the planets when the circle of the
longitudes is divided by 12.
Planets <-- Previous Page----- (/education/planets.htm) -----Next Page --> Planetary Geometry
(/education/planetary_geometry.htm)

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