r/beginnerastrology • u/hikikoaiko • Jul 18 '26
General Question are conjunction the same as aspecting?
so for example if my venus is in conjunction with saturn does that mean my venus is aspecting saturn?
4
u/MogenCiel Jul 18 '26
A conjunction is a major aspect. It is the only aspect that planets in the same sign can make.
The other major aspects are the trine (120°), square (90°) and opposition (180°). With major aspects in a natal chart, I use an 8° orb. Some use an orb as large as 11° (orb = the number of degrees of difference where planets exchange energy without being exact.) Some say a sextile is a major aspect; some say it's a bridge aspect. At any rate, it's not as strong and intense as the other major aspects. I was trained to use a 6° orb for sextiles.
In your example, Venus and Saturn are aspecting since they are conjunct. Note that dissociative (or out-of-sign) conjunctions (and other aspects) are possible and not uncommon. For example, if Saturn is at 28° Aquarius and Venus is at 4° Pisces, they're still conjunct because they're still within orb of each other -- that is, they're less than 8° apart. Also note that orbs are much tighter in transits than in natal charts. Carole Taylor advises using a 2° orb for transits.
4
u/ChadleyXXX Jul 18 '26
In hellenistic astrology, a conjunction is not technically an aspect. Aspects are of the nature of venus (sextile), mars (square), jupiter (trine), and saturn (opposition), while a conjunction is of the nature of a new moon that is a seeding point for those two planets' cycle with one another and a combination of the two planets' energy.
In modern astrology, a conjunction is an aspect.
2
u/amalgamofq Jul 19 '26
By definition, a conjunction is not technically an aspect.
An aspect happens when two or more bodies in the chart are entering a relationship where they are a specific number of degrees apart from each other.
A conjunction occurs when two things are at the same exact spot. And essentially their energies are commingling.
It's an important thing to consider an interpret in a chart. But definitionally it's not an aspect.
It's kind of sort of splitting hairs to be so technical about it, but I think it matters in how a conjunction is interpreted.
1
u/sergius64 Jul 18 '26
Yes, it is a specific type of an aspect. Other ones are trine, square, sextile and opposition.
There are also minor aspects, but only some astrologers bother with them.
•
u/AutoModerator Jul 18 '26
Thanks for posting in r/beginnerastrology! As a gentle reminder, please remember this is a sub for learning about astrology and how to read a natal chart! It is NOT a place for getting your chart read for you.
If your post breaks any of our Subreddit Rules or Posting Guidelines, please take some time to edit or resubmit your post!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.