Chart concepts
Learn what an orb measures, calculate angular distance across 0°, and check calculator settings and birth-time uncertainty.
Back to guidesAuthor / editor: AskNeyora · 2026-10-24 · Updated: 2026-10-24
Prepared by AskNeyora with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed below. This article has not been independently reviewed by a professional astrologer. Astrology is a symbolic practice, not a scientifically validated way to predict relationship outcomes.
Explore your relationship chartAn aspect is an angular relationship between two zodiac positions. The orb is the difference between their shortest separation and the exact aspect angle: 0° for a conjunction, 60° for a sextile, 90° for a square, 120° for a trine or 180° for an opposition. It is a distance in degrees, not a probability or a compatibility score. The same arithmetic applies within one natal chart or between two charts in synastry.
Subtract the two longitudes, take the absolute value d, then use min(d, 360° − d) for the shortest separation. Positions at 359° and 1° are 2° apart, so a conjunction has a 2° orb. A Moon at 12° Gemini is 72° longitude and Saturn at 15° Virgo is 165°: their 93° separation is 3° from a square. Signs alone cannot establish how close an aspect is.
Different practitioners and tools accept different orbs, sometimes depending on the planets and aspect. Record the actual threshold before comparing two results. A contact 3° from exact is inside a 5° allowance and outside a 2° allowance; the geometry has not changed. Near a threshold, uncertain birth time can change inclusion, especially for the Moon and angles. A tighter orb does not guarantee greater affection or harm. Read the complete chart and compare interpretations with real behavior.