Aspects

Aspects, in Astronomy, are certain positions of planets with respect to one another, as seen from the earth. In the days of astrology, there were five Aspects—Conjunction (indicated by the symbol ♁), Sextile (✱), Quartile (□), Trine (Δ), Opposition (♋). Two planets are in conjunction when they have the same longitude; the aspect is sextile when they are 60° apart; quartile, when the distance is 90°; trine, when it is 120°; and at 180° they are opposite to one another, or in opposition. Astrology ascribed to these aspects great influence over the fate of individuals and of nations. The only two of the terms now in use are conjunction and opposition. These, the former especially, were often not reckoned as aspects.