Reference
Aspects in Astrology
The five major aspects, how orbs work, and how NatalChart.AI calculates and reads them with chart-grounded AI.
The five major aspects
| Aspect | Angle | Orb | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conjunction | 0° | 8° (luminaries up to 10°) | Neutral — fusion / amplification |
| Sextile | 60° | 4° | Soft — opportunity |
| Square | 90° | 8° | Hard — friction / drive |
| Trine | 120° | 8° | Soft — flow / talent |
| Opposition | 180° | 8° (luminaries up to 10°) | Hard — polarity / projection |
What each aspect actually means
Conjunction — 0°
Two bodies at the same zodiac longitude. Their energies fuse — the result depends on the planets and signs involved.
Sextile — 60°
An open door. The two bodies cooperate easily but require effort to use; ignored sextiles fade into the background.
Square — 90°
Tension that demands action. Squares show up as recurring problems that, when faced, build skill and resilience.
Trine — 120°
Easy current between two bodies. Often shows up as natural ability — sometimes so easy it's taken for granted.
Opposition — 180°
Two bodies face each other across the chart. The integration challenge is often projected onto people or events outside.
How orbs work
An orb is the tolerance around the exact aspect angle. A square is exact at 90°; an 88° angle still reads as a square if the orb is 8°. Tighter orbs (under 1°) are “exact” aspects and tend to dominate a chart; wider orbs are softer and may need supportive factors to register.
NatalChart.AI uses traditional orbs by default and reports the exact orb of every aspect, so you can see which connections are tight and which are loose.
Applying vs separating
An applying aspect is one moving toward exactness — the faster body is closing the angular gap with the slower body. A separating aspect has already passed exactness and is widening. Applying aspects often feel future-leaning; separating aspects often feel like a completed arc.
How chart-grounded AI reads aspects
Every aspect in your chart, with its exact orb and applying/separating status, is part of the structured payload sent to the language model. The AI is constrained to only mention aspects that are actually formed (within orb), and to cite the planet pair and orb when making a claim. See Chart-Locked AI Reading.
Frequently asked questions
What is an aspect in astrology?
An aspect is an angular relationship between two bodies in a chart, measured in degrees of longitude. The five major aspects — conjunction (0°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°), opposition (180°) — describe how two planets are 'speaking' to each other.
What is an orb?
An orb is the tolerance allowed around an exact aspect angle. A conjunction within 8° is still considered a conjunction; outside that orb the aspect is too weak to read. Different aspect types and different bodies use different orb conventions; NatalChart.AI uses traditional orbs by default and lists the exact orb of every aspect in your chart.
Are minor aspects worth reading?
Some astrologers read quincunxes (150°), semi-sextiles (30°) and other minor aspects. NatalChart.AI focuses on the five major aspects by default because they have the strongest interpretive consensus, but the calculation engine can compute minor aspects when needed.
How does NatalChart.AI handle aspects in AI readings?
Every aspect with its exact orb is part of the chart payload sent to the AI. The model is constrained at the prompt level to only mention aspects that are actually formed within orb. It cites the planet pair, aspect type and orb when making a claim.