Astrological aspect Totally Explained

Everything about Astrological Aspects totally explained

In astrology, an aspect is an angle the planets make to each other in the horoscope, and also to the ascendant, midheaven, descendant and nadir. The aspects are measured by the angular distance along the ecliptic in degrees and minutes of celestial longitude between two points, as viewed from the earth. They indicate focal points in the horoscope where the energies involved are given extra emphasis. The astrological aspects are said to influence affairs on Earth according to millennia of astrological tradition.
As an example, if an astrologer creates a horoscope showing the apparent positions of the heavenly bodies at the times of a person's birth (a natal chart), and the apparent distance between Mars and Venus is 92°, the chart is said to have the aspect "Venus square Mars" with an orb of 2° (for example, it's 2° away from being an exact square; a square is a 90° aspect). The more exact that an aspect is, the more important it's said to be according to astrological precedent and tradition. The difference between the exact aspect and the actual aspect is called the orb.

Approach

To the ancients, certain aspects and certain planets were either good (benefic) or bad (malefic). Modern usage is different, with less emphasis placed on simple divisions.
   Modern approaches to astrological aspects, grounded more on current research rather than historical references, are more in alignment with research on astrological harmonics, of which John Addey was a major proponent in England (and which Johannes Kepler set forth in his book Harmonice Mundi in 1619). In routine practice, the German schools of Uranian astrology and its derivative Cosmobiology have taken a wholly empirical approach to the aspects, largely divorced from traditional assumptions, and based on extensive research. In the process, they've come to conclusions different from traditional astrologers about the power and effect of the various types of aspects. Among the Uranians, the term 'aspect' is even sometimes avoided, to divorce traditional beliefs from current observations.
   The research of Françoise and Michel Gauquelin on the significance of planetary configuration in the astrological chart showed strong signs that the semisquare and sesquiquadrate, "minor" aspects according historical assumptions, might in fact be relatively "major". Many of these valuable realizations have been lost in a recent wave of return to traditional astrological beliefs.
   A list of traditional aspects below presents their angular values and a recommended orb for each aspect -- the orbs are subject of controversy even today.
   With the introduction of the manifold midpoints used in Cosmobiology and the many "formula" points of Uranian/Hamburg Astrology, most modern Astrologers, now, use much narrower orbs for aspects than what were common prior 1970.

Major aspects

The traditional major aspects are sometimes called Ptolemaic aspects since they were defined and used by Ptolemy in the 1st Century, AD. These aspects are the conjunction (approx. 0-10°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°), and opposition (180°). It is important to note that different astrologers and separate astrological systems/traditional utilize differing orbs (the degree of separation between exactitude) when calculating and using the aspects, though almost all use a larger orb for a conjunction when compared to the other aspects. The major aspects are those that can be used to divide 360 evenly and are divisible by 10 (with the exception of the semi-sextile).

Conjunction

ť See also Cazimi, Combust

A conjunction (abrv. Con) is an angle of approximately 0-10°. An orb of approximately 10° is usually considered a conjunction, however if neither the Sun or Moon is involved, some consider the conjunction to be a separation (orb) of only about 0±08°. This is said to be the most powerful aspect, intensifying the effects of the involved planets mutually — and being a major point in the chart. The planets will act together to outside stimulus and act on each other. The essential feature of a conjunction is that each planet brings out a characteristic in accord with its own nature out of the other planet. This may probably be difficult to achieve without the aid of the other planet. This process, however, will also cause each planet involved to lose some of its true characteristics. For example, a person with a conjunction of Mercury and the Moon will find it easy to talk (Mercury) about his or her feelings (Moon) and rationalize them. However, due to their intellectual approach to emotions, it follows that their feelings also lose some depth, therefore, these people can't handle heavy emotional demands. On the other hand, the involvement of the emotions (Moon) in the rational thinking process (Mercury) makes it easy for the person to think and communicate with sensitivity and consideration. This ability can, however, take away some of the objectivity (Mercury) from the thinking process due to biases from loyalties, emotional attachments, and so on (Moon).
Whether the union is to be regarded as "positive" or "negative" depends upon what planets are involved: Venus, Jupiter and the Sun, in any possible combination, is considered the most favourable scenario (and all three actually met on November 9-10, 1970, for example), while the most unfavourable configurations involve Mars, Saturn, and/or the Moon (with all three conjoining on March 10 in that same year). If the planets are under stress from other configurations, then the conjunction will be said to intensify the stress. When a planet is in very close conjunction to the Sun it's referred to as cazimi; when a planet is moderately close to Sun, it's said to be combust. The Sun and Moon are in conjunction monthly during the New Moon.

Sextile

A sextile (abrv. SXt or Sex) is an angle of 60° (1/6 of the 360° ecliptic, or 1/2 of a trine [120°]). A separation (orb) of 60±04° is considered a sextile. The sextile has been traditionally said to be similar in influence to the trine, but of less significance. It indicates ease of communication between the two elements involved, with compatibility and harmony between them, but only provides opportunity, requiring effort to gain its benefits. See information on the semisextile below.

Square

A square (abrv. SQr or Squ) is an angle of 90° (1/4 of the 360° ecliptic, or 1/2 of an opposition [180°]). An orb of somewhere between 5° and 10°

9th-harmonic aspects

These aspects are based on the division of the circle of the zodiac by nine.

Novile

The novile (abrv. Nov), also known as a nonagon, is an angle of 40°, one-ninth of the circle of the zodiac. The novile is said to represent a constriction between the aspects that can be unlocked and used as a catalyst to self-enhancement.

Binovile

The binovile (abrv. BNv) is an angle of 80°.

Quadnovile

The quadnovile (abrv. QNv), also known as a quadrinovile, is an angle of 160°.

14th-harmonic aspects

These aspects are based on the division of the zodiac by fourteen and are related to the 7th-harmonic aspects (septile, biseptile and triseptile). They are said to have a sense of empowerment about them arising from the correct use of structure.

Semiseptile

The semiseptile (which has also been called quattuordecimal) is an angle of 25.714286°, one-fourteenth of the circle of the zodiac, or half a septile. It is said to have to do with giving up what one has completed in order to move on to the next cycle of activity.

Tresemiseptile

The tresemiseptile is an angle of 77.142858°, three-fourteenths of the circle of the zodiac.

Quinsemiseptile

The quinsemiseptile is an angle of 128.57143°, five-fourteenths of the circle of the zodiac.

16th-harmonic aspects

These aspects are based on the division of the circle of the zodiac by sixteen and are related to the 8th-harmonic aspects (semisquare and sesquiquadrate). All are considered "hard" or "stress" aspects. Many Uranian astrologers use only the semioctile and its multiple aspects, including the sesquioctile and 112.5° and 157.5° aspects, claiming that they're not "minor."

Semioctile

The semioctile is an angle of 22.5°, one-sixteenth of the circle of the zodiac.

Sesquioctile

The sesquioctile is an angle of 67.5°.

24th-harmonic aspects

These aspects are based on the division of the circle of the zodiac by twenty-four. Some Hamburg School astrologers consider multiples of the quattuorvigintile, including the squile, squine, and quindecile, aspects.

Quattuorvigintile

The quattuorvigintile is an angle of 15°, one-24th of the zodiac circle.

Squile

The squile is an angle of 75°, considered a hybrid between a square and a sextile.

Squine

The squine is an angle of 105°, considered a hybrid between a square and a trine.

Quindecile

The quindecile (also known as the johndro or contraquindecile) is an angle of 165°. It is supposed to be associated with an unrelenting headstrong determination, with disruption and upheaval.

Declinations

The parallel and antiparallel (or contraparallel) are two other aspects, which refer to degrees of declination above or below the ecliptic. They are considered strong influences, though not much research has gone into studying these particular aspects.

Parallel: same degree± 1-degree 12-minutes of arc. This is similar to a conjunction, but usually provides benefits.

Contraparallel: opposite degree± 1-degree 12-minute of arc. Said to be similar to the opposition, but weaker.

References and further reading

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_about_astrology#Astrological_aspects Further Information

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