What Are Aspects in Astrology—and Why Do They Matter?
If planets are the "characters" in your chart and signs are the "costumes" they wear, aspects are how those characters talk to each other. Are they in harmony? Are they at odds? Do they ignore each other or push each other to grow?
Aspects describe the energetic relationship between two planets based on the distance between them in degrees. They tell you which parts of yourself are working together—and which need a little more attention.
Think of Aspects As:
The mood between two planets
How your energy is naturally expressed (or repressed)
Your inner conversations, habits, and instincts
Where you shine—and where you feel stuck
They can reveal ease, tension, talent, and personal growth opportunities. The more you understand your aspects, the better you understand yourself.
Aspect Basics: Degrees, Orbs, and Glyphs
Aspects are measured by degrees. Each planet is sitting at a specific point in the zodiac (for example: Moon at 12° Pisces, Mercury at 12° Scorpio). When planets are a certain number of degrees apart, they form an aspect.
Every aspect also has an orb (a range of degrees where it still counts). Most astrologers use a 6–8° orb for major aspects. The tighter the orb, the stronger the aspect.
Here are the main aspects you’ll see in a birth chart:
Aspect | Degrees | Glyph | Mood | Description |
Conjunction | 0° | ☌ | Fused | Blends energies—intense, powerful, focused |
Sextile | 60° | ⚹ | Friendly | Flowing opportunity—light, helpful connection |
Square | 90° | □ | Tense | Conflict or pressure that pushes you to grow |
Trine | 120° | △ | Harmonious | Easy flow, natural talent or support |
Opposition | 180° | ☍ | Polarizing | Push-pull energy—needs balance and awareness |
What Each Aspect Feels Like
Let’s go a little deeper into how each aspect shows up in your chart and personality:
☌ Conjunction (0°)
Mood: Intense, merged, focused
Meaning: The planets are fused together. They blend into one voice.
Vibe: These energies act as a team—for better or worse.
Example: Sun ☌ Mercury = strong communicator. Mind and identity are one.
⚹ Sextile (60°)
Mood: Cooperative, motivating
Meaning: These planets offer opportunities to help each other out
Vibe: Subtle harmony—you still have to activate it
Example: Venus ⚹ Mars = creative passion, balanced desire
□ Square (90°)
Mood: Friction, discomfort
Meaning: These parts of you don’t see eye to eye—but that’s where growth happens
Vibe: Tension that asks for maturity
Example: Moon □ Saturn = emotional restraint; has to learn how to trust feelings
△ Trine (120°)
Mood: Natural, easy, flowing
Meaning: These energies support each other beautifully
Vibe: “This just makes sense”
Example: Jupiter △ Sun = natural optimism, abundance mindset
☍ Opposition (180°)
Mood: Polarized, reflective
Meaning: These energies are across from each other and need to be balanced
Vibe: “Mirror mirror”—project, react, then integrate
Example: Mars ☍ Venus = tension between action and connection; needs awareness in love and desire
Applying Aspects to Signs and Planets
To figure out aspects in your chart:
Find the degrees of your planets. (e.g., Moon at 12° Virgo, Mercury at 12° Gemini)
Count the distance between the signs: Virgo and Gemini are 90° apart → that’s a square.
Same sign = conjunction
Signs of the same element (120° apart) = trine
Signs two apart (60°) = sextile
Opposite signs (180°) = opposition
Hint: Use a birth chart calculator like astro.com or astro-seek.com for easy aspect tables and visuals.
Quick Element-Based Aspect Guide:
Element Pair | Likely Aspect | Notes |
Fire + Fire | Trine | Natural energy flow |
Fire + Air | Sextile | Energizing and inspiring |
Fire + Water | Square | Emotion vs. action tension |
Earth + Water | Trine | Grounded emotional connection |
Earth + Air | Square | Logic vs. practicality tension |
Water + Air | Square or Inconjunct | Head vs. heart |
Real-World Example
Let’s say you have:
Sun at 10° Leo
Saturn at 10° Scorpio
Leo and Scorpio are 90° apart → Sun square Saturn.
Interpretation: There’s tension between your identity (Sun) and responsibility (Saturn). You may feel self-doubt or like you have to prove your worth. But once integrated, this aspect creates discipline, focus, and long-term strength.
Final Thoughts
Aspects are the heartbeat of your chart. They show how your inner world works together—or doesn't. They reveal your gifts, your challenges, and the conversations happening inside you every day.
✨ Here’s the truth: When you understand your aspects, you stop fighting yourself. You start working with your energy—not against it.You learn that tension isn’t failure. It’s potential waiting to be shaped.
Want help decoding your chart aspects or understanding a specific pattern you keep repeating? I’d love to help you make sense of it and use that insight to move forward with clarity and confidence.
