Aspects — Overview

Let’s kick this off with a caveat:

This is an oversimplified intro to aspects, and even so, it may still be confusing.

Aspects are a crucial layer of your birth chart, but almost impossible to make “beginner-friendly.” I’ve done my best, but I’m also going to offer the #1 bit of advice I’d give to beginners that professional astrologers will probably hate me for:

Don’t try to learn aspects until you’re completely comfortable with placements.

By placements I mean Mercury in Aquarius in the Third House, and so on.

If you’re still Googling “what even is Venus?” or “What does the sixth house mean?” then trying to understand aspects will make things frustratingly muddy. Also can get plenty of value from your natal chart without touching aspects. You can still learn plenty about yourself or someone else by knowing that your Mercury in Libra in the First House without knowing it trines Neptune.

But if/when you’re ready to bump up your understanding of your chart to the Intermediate level, you’ll want to start with Aspects.

What are Aspects?

If you’ve ever looked at the “wheel” version of your birth chart, aspects are those crazy lines in the middle of the circle. These lines denote the angles between and among the planets. But unless you love geometry (I do not), you may have just zoned out when I said “angles.”

Here’s what the angles represent:

They’re the planets position relative to each other. Not just where Venus sits, but where Venus sits relative to Uranus, and so on.

Where those placements are in relation to each other also matters—they can either amplify or mute the characteristics of the placements themselves. Some angles (aspects) can amplify planet energy, other angles add complexity or friction.

For example, a person whose Moon nestled super close to Mercury is going to make their way through life differently from someone whose Moon is directly opposite Mercury.

Basically, imagine your chart as a table at a big holiday dinner with all the extended relatives. Who sits where matters in terms of how the evening plays out.

The Major Aspects

To keep it simple (this is a beginner guide, remember), I’m going to limit it to the major aspects. There are minor aspects as well, but these major ones that most standard birth chart readings/interpretations will focus on because they have the biggest impact.

Conjunction (0°) — Same seat at the table. These planets are blending forces, amping up each other’s energy.

Sextile (60°) — Chill and productive. Think of the coworker who doesn’t demand attention but always brings snacks and covers your shift without asking.

Square (90°) — Passive-aggressive tension. Growth happens here… but only after you spend three years in therapy wondering why you sabotage yourself.

Trine (120°) — Easiest energy in your chart. Like those couples who claim they “never fight.” Effortless, smooth, natural talent. You barely have to try.

Opposition (180°) — Tug of war. Two planets pulling you in completely opposite directions, both screaming, “Pick me!” while you stand in the middle stress-eating stuffing.

Why They Matter

I personally find aspects the most useful (and most interesting) when something in a chart doesn’t quite seem to add up at first glance. Say your chart says you’re a Leo everything, but you somehow get stage fright. Or your chart screams “Taurus chill” but you live on a diet of iced espresso, anxiety, and tantrums.

It may not be that your chart is wrong—these “inaccuracies” can often be explained by aspects.

Maybe that Leo Sun is squared by Saturn, adding pressure and self-doubt around being seen. Maybe that Taurus Moon is in a tight opposition with Mars or Uranus, making it hard to stay steady.

Or let’s say your chart tells you you’re a Sagittarius Rising. The standard description says you’re supposed to be the life of the party. The golden retriever. The one who makes friends in the Starbucks line.

But in reality? You feel… suspicious. Cautious. Maybe even a little intimidating.

Plot twist: Your Ascendant is squaring Pluto in Virgo in the 10th house.

Boom. That square is putting a high-achiever, reputation-obsessed filter over your supposed sparkle—like you can’t just be fun unless you’re also proving something. You scan for power dynamics in casual conversation. You don’t relax in public—you perform competence.

That’s an aspect doing what aspects do best: making your chart more nuanced and complex.

If your chart is making claims your personality doesn’t reflect? Check the aspects. They’re the astrological version of, “It’s not that simple.”