☌︎ Natal aspects
Aspects in the natal chart
Aspects are the angles between planets in your birth chart. They show which parts of you cooperate, which ones argue and which ones act as a single force.
The five major aspects
Every planet in a natal chart sits at a particular degree of the zodiac. An aspect is the angle between two of them, measured along that circle of 360°. When two planets are a meaningful distance apart, such as a quarter or a third of the circle, astrologers say they are in aspect, and each one starts to colour how the other behaves.
Most modern astrology works with the five major aspects set out by Ptolemy in the second century: the conjunction at 0°, the sextile at 60°, the square at 90°, the trine at 120° and the opposition at 180°. The sextile and trine are traditionally called harmonious, because they link signs whose elements get on well. The square and opposition are called hard, because they set planets in tension. The conjunction depends on which two planets meet. Hard aspects are not bad luck, though. They tend to push people into action, while soft ones bring ease that can be taken for granted.
Planets in signs and houses tell you what the parts of a chart are. Aspects tell you how those parts talk to each other. Venus in Leo describes a warm, showy way of loving; Venus square Saturn adds a fear of rejection that makes that warmth harder to show. Two people with the same Sun sign can feel very different largely because of their aspects.
| Aspect | Angle | Orb | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
0° | 8° | Variable | |
60° | 5° | Soft | |
90° | 7° | Hard | |
120° | 7° | Soft | |
180° | 8° | Hard |
Add 2° to every orb when the Sun or Moon is one of the two planets. These are the orbs our birth chart calculator uses.
Orbs: how close is close enough
Planets rarely sit at an exact angle, so astrologers allow a margin called an orb. This site uses 8° for the conjunction and the opposition, 7° for the trine and the square, and 5° for the sextile, adding 2° when the Sun or Moon is involved. Sun trine Moon therefore counts up to 9° from exact. The tighter the aspect, the stronger it tends to feel: an aspect within 1° or 2° is often a defining theme, while one near the edge of its orb is a background note.
Minor aspects exist too, such as the semi-sextile at 30° and the quincunx at 150°, and some astrologers use many more. The calculator lists the five majors, which carry most of the meaning in a chart. Aspects among Uranus, Neptune and Pluto last for years and are shared by whole generations, so this guide covers every pair that includes at least one of the Sun through Saturn.
Every pair, every aspect
Each planet pair from the Sun to Saturn, with its own page for every major aspect it makes in a natal chart. Choose a pair, then an aspect.
Sun aspects
Sun–Mercury
Sun–Venus
Sun–Mars
Sun–Jupiter
Sun–Saturn
Sun–Uranus
Sun–Neptune
Sun–Pluto
Moon aspects
Moon–Mercury
Moon–Venus
Moon–Mars
Moon–Jupiter
Moon–Saturn
Moon–Uranus
Moon–Neptune
Moon–Pluto
Mercury aspects
Mercury–Venus
Mercury–Mars
Mercury–Jupiter
Mercury–Saturn
Mercury–Uranus
Mercury–Neptune
Mercury–Pluto
Venus aspects
Venus–Mars
Venus–Jupiter
Venus–Saturn
Venus–Uranus
Venus–Neptune
Venus–Pluto
Mars aspects
Mars–Jupiter
Mars–Saturn
Mars–Uranus
Mars–Neptune
Mars–Pluto
Jupiter aspects
Jupiter–Saturn
Jupiter–Uranus
Jupiter–Neptune
Jupiter–Pluto
Saturn aspects
Saturn–Uranus
Saturn–Neptune
Saturn–Pluto
How to read your aspects
To find your aspects you need your birth date, which fixes the positions of most planets. The Moon moves about 13° a day and the Ascendant changes sign every two hours or so, so for accurate Moon aspects and anything involving the angles you also need a birth time.
Start with the tightest aspects, then look at any that touch the Sun, the Moon or the ruler of your Ascendant, since those shape personality most directly. Read the two planets first and the aspect second: the planets say what is involved, the aspect says how they get along. Then step back. A chart full of squares and oppositions often belongs to someone restless and driven who grows through challenge. A chart full of trines and sextiles tends to be easier going, with talents that need deliberate effort to reach their potential.
Questions
Asked about natal aspects
What are the major aspects in astrology?
The five major aspects are the conjunction (0°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°) and opposition (180°). They come from Ptolemy and are the angles most astrologers read first.
Which aspects are the most important in a natal chart?
The tightest aspects usually matter most, especially those within 1° or 2° of exact. Aspects to the Sun, the Moon and the chart ruler also carry extra weight because they shape the core of the personality.
Do I need my birth time to see my aspects?
Most aspects can be found from the birth date alone. A birth time makes Moon aspects accurate and is required for aspects to the Ascendant and Midheaven.
Your own chart
See your aspects
Enter your birth date, time and city and the free calculator lists every major aspect in your chart, tightest first, with the orb of each. No account, no card.