iVillage

Before we go any further into this, let’s agree what we mean by aspects. Take any two heavenly bodies; it does not matter if it is the Sun or Moon, or one of the planets. One of any two bodies is moving faster and the other moves more slowly. The net effect is that the faster-moving planet describes a 360-degree circle or cycle of aspects to the slower moving body. The faster-moving planet goes from a conjunction with the slower body through a circle/cycle of 360-degrees and back around to the next conjunction. That is called the aspect cycle, and is what aspects are all about. Let’s take the familiar solunar cycle as an example.

The solunar cycle (and astronomers call this a “synodic” cycle) begins with the Sun and Moon conjunct in the same zodiac degree at the moment of the New Moon. The Moon, being the faster-moving body, then begins to move away from the conjunction with the Sun and starts to form aspects (angular arcs of separation) with the Sun, the most familiar being the First Quarter Moon (90 degrees), the Full Moon (180 degrees), and the Fourth Quarter Moon (270 degrees). After this, the Moon moves to conjunct the Sun again, for another New Moon. The cycle continues on around, month after month.

This same type of synodic cycle of aspects takes place with any two heavenly bodies; it makes no difference which two you select. There is always one that moves faster, and one that moves more slowly. Aspects are formed, endlessly. It is happening now in the sky above. Each planet out there is in the process of forming or separating from one aspect or another with all the other planets.
In fact, the Sun, Moon, and planets are always involved with one another in these various aspect cycles, some 45 pairs of them (geocentrically), all going on at once.