Chart foundations
Major astrology aspects: conjunction, sextile, square, trine, opposition
Major aspects describe angular relationships between chart factors; interpretation depends on the planets, exact angle, orb, sign context, and the whole chart.Reviewed · 2026-08-24 · Educational astrology contentThe five commonly used major aspects are conjunction near 0°, sextile near 60°, square near 90°, trine near 120°, and opposition near 180°. They are geometric relationships, while “easy” or “hard” labels are interpretive shorthand rather than fixed outcomes.
Key points
- A tighter aspect is usually treated as more concentrated.
- Applying and separating status matters in timing traditions.
- A conjunction blends functions but is not automatically positive.
- A trine can describe ease without describing effort or maturity.
Method
- Identify the two chart factors and exact angular distance.
- Apply the chosen orb consistently.
- Interpret the relationship in context of signs, houses, and rulership.
Limits and responsible use
- Do not count an aspect without declaring an orb policy.
- Aspect keywords cannot predict one specific event.