#052 What Are The Aspects in Astrology & How Are They Assigned Their Nature?

I had originally recorded this episode as an audio version only but realised it was very difficult to describe without a visual prompt for listeners to refer to.

Yes, I could’ve added an image to the accompanying blog post, but I thought I would go one better and record an enhanced podcast for you to enjoy on my YouTube channel.

In a nutshell the conjunction, opposition, square, trine and sextile are all considered the major aspects.

Their relationship with the luminary-ruled signs is the key to how they are assigned their nature, and exploring this will help you to understand the underlying feel of each of the aspects and how they reveal themselves natally, by transit or even through synastry giving a sense of how planets communicate with each other. 

Hopefully this gives a sense of how planets communicate with each other through aspect.

Please let me know if this enriched your understanding of the aspects and whether you recognise the application of aspects in your own natal chart.

Breaking It Down

The Sextile

• Leo is the solar-luminary ruled sign. 
• 60° to the right of Leo is Libra which is a Venus ruled sign.
• Cancer is the lunar–luminary ruled sign.
• 60° to the left of Cancer is Taurus, also Venus ruled.

The 60° aspect is associated with the planet Venus, which offers some insight to the Venusian sense of fortune, attractive potential and opportunity.

The Square

• Leo is the solar-luminary ruled sign. 
• 90° to the right of Leo is Scorpio which is traditionally ruled by Mars.
• Cancer is the lunar–luminary ruled sign. 
• 90° to the left of Cancer is Aries, a Mars ruled sign.

The 90° aspect is associated with the planet Mars, which offers some insight to the Marshall sense of action, challenge and penetration.

The Trine

• Leo is the solar-luminary ruled sign. 
• 120° to the right of Leo is Sagittarius which is a Jupiter ruled sign.
• Cancer is the lunar–luminary ruled sign. 
• 120° to the left of Cancer is Pisces, a traditionally Jupiter ruled sign.

The 120° aspect is associated with the planet Jupiter, which offers some insight to the Jupitarian sense of optimism, luck and good fortune.

The Opposition

• Leo is the solar-luminary ruled sign. 
• 180° away from Leo is Aquarius which is a traditionally Saturn ruled sign.
• Cancer is the lunar–luminary ruled sign. 
• 180° away from Cancer is Pisces, a Saturn ruled sign.

The 180° aspect is associated with the planet Saturn, which offers some insight to the Saturnian sense of productive or obstructive nature to the aspect which is often experienced through our relationships.

But What Does It All Mean?

So this is how the aspects are assigned their natures and it is useful for you to have a look at your own chart to see how this would work for you in your own planetary conversations.

But what are the aspects all about? Well, they’re the conversation or dialogue between the planets and they indicate the relationship the planets have with each other.

The Sextile
Planets at a 60° sextile create a gentle and coaxing conversation from the planets and give us a sense of carpe diem! Sometimes we miss the window of opportunity which this aspect provides, so it’s important to really consider opportunities which present when this aspect appears.

The Square
Planets locking horns at 90° to one another resonate with the planet Mars, constantly debating with each other, causing friction and making themselves known to you. Planets squaring off are hard to ignore and challenge you to push harder.

The Trine
The planets at a 120° trine can be so chill they’re barely noticeable, or they work so cooperatively that you take them for granted rather than pushing yourself to achieve greater things. You could be the person who always finds themselves in the right place at the right time.

The Opposition
The 180° opposition generally indicates relationships which allow us to embody either side of the opposition depending on the encounter (and our mood on the day!). We can experience a sense of cooperation, or the dreaded tug of war! This see-saw of planets encourages personal growth (for both parties) through our encounters with others.