What are aspects and orbs in a birth chart?
Understand the five major aspect angles and use the orb to distinguish an exact contact from a nearby one.
Start with the angle
An aspect is an angular relationship between two chart positions. Five common angles are conjunction (0°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°) and opposition (180°). Use the shorter distance around the circle: positions at 358° and 2° are four degrees apart.
The orb is a measure of closeness
If two positions are separated by 92°, they are 2° from an exact square. Whether a chart includes that contact depends on the allowable orb. Orb rules can vary with the aspect, bodies and method. A small orb indicates geometric closeness and tells you nothing by itself about whether a reading will feel positive or difficult.
Compare the wheel and the details
Open your Natal Chart in Synchronicity. Choose one line on the wheel or an entry in the aspect details, identify the two bodies and look at the reported aspect. Then compare two examples of the same angle. Keeping the angle fixed helps you see how the interpretation changes with the planets involved. Use the angle as a description of the chart and read the accompanying symbolism as interpretation.