If you look at the printout of your chart, in the top right corner you’ll find a table that shows the planetary glyphs with numbers next to them. Those numbers tell you the exact degree of the sign a planet was located in the heavens at the moment of your birth.
The degrees – which are taken from an astronomical almanac called an ephemeris – are crucial for gaining a deeper understanding of a birth chart. But unfortunately, they are also where many people stop short in their studies, thinking they are too complicated and ‘mathematical’.
Don’t be one of those people! I’m far from being a maths major, but these days with computers, understanding degrees is really nothing to do with understanding maths. Let’s go at this very simply.
As you know, in Western astrology horoscope charts are drawn as circles. There are 360 degrees in a circle, and the chart is divided into 12 equal sections (the signs and houses).
Each of those sections therefore contains 30 degrees, so each sign has 30 degrees in it. (Note that in astrology, we go from 0 to 29 degrees, not 1–30.)
Each degree also has 0–59 minutes and seconds. So it goes from 00.00 of a sign to 29.59 of a sign. (Remember that we always go anticlockwise when looking at a chart, including when counting degrees.) Here’s an example that resembles those you’ll see in the table on your chart:
14° 23′ 33″ 
This is the Sun (at) 14 degrees and 23 minutes and 33 seconds (of) Aries.
Note that each of the 360 degrees potentially has a planet or cusp or other point on it.
Make a note of which planet sits at which degree in your chart.
Use the table on your chart to complete the following (here, we won’t include the seconds):
My Sun is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Moon is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My ascendant is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Mercury is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Venus is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Mars is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Jupiter is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Saturn is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Uranus is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Neptune is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
My Pluto is at _________ degrees and _________ minutes of ____________ (sign)
The main purpose of working out the degrees is to do the following:
So what are the angles, or aspects?
An aspect – or angle – between two planets is a connection between them. It’s deduced by looking at the degrees. So for example, if you have a planet at 15 degrees of a Fire or Air sign, and another planet at around 15 degrees (allow 5 degrees either side) of a Fire or Air sign, they are said to be in easy, or harmonious aspect. (Fire and Fire, and Air and Air, and Fire and Air go together). It’s the same if you have planets within 5 degrees of each other in Earth or Water signs. These would also be in easy (harmonious) aspect to each other.
However, if you have one or more planets at 23 degrees of a Water sign, say, and you also have one planet or more at around 23 degrees (give or take 5 degrees) of a Fire or Air sign, those planets are said to be in a challenging aspect to each other.
Aspects are hugely important in chart interpretation. They show how the planetary and sign energies play out. From the aspect two planets make to each other (or the aspects planets make to the four angles of the chart) we can see, among other things, whether there will be challenges or whether things will flow easily (be harmonious). Without understanding degrees and aspects, you’ll never fully understand your own chart or anyone else’s.
There are five main aspects used in basic astrology: conjunctions, sextiles, squares, trines and oppositions. That said, this is a kind of shorthand, because the word aspect means ‘view’. Technically, a conjunction isn’t an aspect, because two planets standing side by side can’t view each other. So really, we should say ‘conjunctions and aspects’, though a conjunction is treated as an aspect.
If you look at the centre circle of your chart, you’ll see lines running between the planets. On them sit the glyphs for the aspects; as with the other points on the chart – the signs and planets – they are represented by symbols. The table below shows the glyphs for the aspects and how many degrees apart planets and points need to be from each other to form those aspects.
| Aspect name | Glyph | Degrees apart |
| Conjunction |  |
0 degrees |
| Sextile |  |
60 degrees |
| Square |  |
90 degrees |
| Trine |  |
120 degrees |
| Opposition |  |
180 degrees |
Try to locate the aspects on your chart: you may find all five of them there, or just a few.
You can calculate the aspects by looking at the degree the planet is at.
You can also verify the aspects on your chart by counting the degrees.
Now look at the grid under your birth chart: there you can see at a glance which aspects your planets are making to other planets.
Below is a description of the five aspects, along with their glyphs. There’s also another word to learn before we go further – orb, which means ‘range of degrees’.
This means two or more planets are in the same place or on the same degree (with an 8-degree orb, unless the Sun and/or Moon are involved, in which case allow a 10-degree orb). For example, one planet at 22 degrees of Leo and one at 26 degrees of Leo would be said to be conjunct or conjoined. Planets can also be conjoined in different signs.
Conjunctions are easy or challenging depending on which planets are involved. For example a conjunction between the Sun and Venus is likely to be easy whereas a conjunction between Venus and Saturn could be more challenging. However, we need to keep an open mind as these can go either way.
This aspect is when planets are 60 degrees apart (in either direction). In other words, when they are two signs apart and on the same degree, give or take 5 degrees (or 6 if the Sun and/or Moon are involved).
Sextiles are easy aspects. The energy between the planets flows. Sextiles are productive and dynamic.
This aspect is when planets are 90 degrees apart (in either direction). In other words, when they are three signs apart and on the same degree, give or take 5 degrees (or 10 if the Sun and/or Moon are involved). Note that a square is half an opposition (see below).
Squares are challenging aspects, bringing a clash between the planets involved. However, they irritate enough to bring about change.
This is when the planets are 120 degrees apart (in either direction). In other words, when they are four signs apart and on the same degree, give or take 5 degrees (or 10 if the Sun and/or Moon are involved).
Trines are easy, flowing aspects, and the planets involved are in harmony. They can, however, breed complacency.
This is when planets are 180 degrees apart – i.e. on opposite sides of the chart from each other and on the same degree, give or take 5 degrees (or 10 if the Sun and/or Moon are involved).
Oppositions are generally challenging aspects; however, note that oppositional planets are always in compatible elements. Fire signs are always opposite Air signs, and Earth signs are always opposite Water signs. So sometimes you get a clash and sometimes you get something that works well. Remember: opposites can attract! Also they bring out both sides of the issues indicated by the planets involved and that can be a very good thing.
To see if you’re getting the hang of the degrees and aspect, try answering the question below (remember: there are 30 degrees in a sign and 12 signs).
Question: If your Sun is at 12 Gemini and your Venus is at 12 Leo (two signs later), how many degrees apart are they?
Hint: go through the signs in the traditional order of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces to get your answer.
Answer: your Sun and Venus would be 60 degrees apart. This is a sextile aspect.
Sometimes you’ll hear astrologers talking about a planet’s ‘condition’ – in other words, what kind of state or condition it’s in. Traditionally that would refer to its dignity, as judged by the table of dignities. More colloquially though, a major influence on a planet’s condition is which aspects it’s making to other planets. Is it in harmony (making sextiles and trines) to the other planets or is it challenged (making squares and oppositions)?
As explained above, the harmonious (easy) aspects are trines and sextiles. So when you have planets in trine or sextile aspect to each other on your chart, you’ll know they are in pretty good condition because these aspects suggest an easy flow between the planets – they are not challenged but rather in harmony.
We saw earlier that Fire and Air, and Earth and Water, go together – if you look at your chart and count a sextile’s 60 degrees (two signs) and a trine’s 120 degrees (four signs), you’ll see that the Fire/Air and Earth/Water rules apply. Planets in compatible elements (i.e. Fire, Earth, Air and Water) make sextiles and trines to each to other, while planets in incompatible elements makes squares.
The most challenging aspect is the square – they cause a discomfort or a rawness or roughness that in my opinion is visceral. If you have planets squaring each other, they cause each other issues that tend to be sore points, and opportunities from which you can learn. With a square, a problem comes up that you have to do something about. It’s an itch that must be scratched and from that point of view, squares are good aspects because they force us to deal with things and hopefully evolve.
Conjunctions and oppositions can go either way, depending on the planets involved, as explained earlier.
Remember, there are different ways that aspects can be made:
In addition, some planets are easier than others and that affects our interpretation of the aspects (see The meaning of the planets section).
So Moon (feelings) square Venus (love) would be a lighter energy than, say, Venus (love) square Saturn (heavy-duty karma). As soon as Mars and Saturn or the planets beyond get involved, you’re in heavier, more intense energy.
Another way to think of it is to substitute the words ‘sextile’ or ‘trine’ with ‘is in harmony with’ and to substitute the words ‘square’ or ‘opposition’ with ‘is clashing with’. For example, Venus square Pluto then becomes Venus is clashing with Pluto. Mercury trine Jupiter becomes Mercury is in harmony with Jupiter.
To interpret Venus square Pluto in your chart, you would think about the following:
On a birth chart, a planet won’t really be able to exude at full power if, say, it’s squared by an aspect from Mars (angry), Saturn (depressive), Uranus (chaotic), Neptune (confusing) or Pluto (volcanic rebirther). So if someone with Venus in Gemini – who you’d expect to be terribly chatty and upbeat – has their Venus squared by bulldozer Saturn, they may not exhibit as much of the full-blown Gemini magic as someone with a Venus trined by Jupiter. Do you get the picture?
Here’s another example: someone with their love planet Venus in a harmonious aspect (sextile or trine) to Jupiter (a happy planet) is going to have a very different Venus to someone with their Venus clashing with (squaring or opposing) volcanic Pluto.
There is a subtlety you need to come to grips with as you work with aspects. No planet is innately good or bad. However, if a planet is clashing with another, then the more negative traits of those planets are likely to come out. If two planets are in harmony (sextiling or trining), you get the best they have to offer.
Remember: when a planet sextiles or trines another planet, the energies flow. When they square or oppose, there is a clash.
There are 90 possible basic aspects, and interpretations of what exactly each of them means have filled entire books. However, I recommend you read one in particular to further your studies beyond the scope of this book: Sue Tompkin’s Aspects In Astrology.
Some planets will not have links to other planets within orb. In other words, they aren’t making any aspects at all to other planets. In that case, they are called ‘unaspected’. This means they function on their own rather than forever in tandem with one or more other planets. The general consensus is that unaspected planets run their own story: they march to the beat of their own drum, and they do their own thing.
Also note that a person with an unaspected Sun in particular tends to be very unusual in some way – a maverick, someone who lives outside of the restrictions and norms the rest of us more or less conform to. It doesn’t make them totally wacky; rather, it just ups their ‘different’ quotient a fair bit. They are often the people who think outside the proverbial square.
If you’re still unclear about degrees and aspects, you’ll find a video that explains them visually at theastrologybook. com/degreesaspects
Congratulations! You are officially on your way to becoming a proper astrologer. The main thing is to know the signs and planets and then get to the degrees and aspects – but do get to them, because they are the cherry on the top of the astrology cake.
For now, it’s enough to consider the following when looking at the aspects on your chart, or that of a friend or family member: