ASPECT

ASPECT, in astronomy, denotes the situation of the planets and stars with respect to each other.

There are five different aspects. 1. Sextile aspect is when the planets or stars are $60^\backslash circ$ distant, and marked thus $\backslash ast$. 2. The quartile, or quadrate, when they are $90^\backslash circ$ distant, marked $\backslash square$. 3. Trine, when $120^\backslash circ$ distant, marked $\backslash Delta$. 4. Opposition, when $180^\backslash circ$ distant, marked . And, 5. Conjunction, when both in the same degree, marked $\backslash odot$.

Kepler, who added eight new ones, defines aspect to be the angle formed by the rays of two stars meeting on the earth, whereby their good or bad influence is measured: for it is to be observed, that these aspects being first introduced by astrologers, were distinguished into benign, malignant, and indifferent; the quartile and opposition being accounted malign; the trine and sextile, benign or friendly; and the conjunction, indifferent.