lu’s v basic astrology glossary
if you’re anything like me, when you’re first getting into astrology, a lot of the terminology is very confusing and it can be overwhelming! i’ve seen tons of posts dedicated to explaining vvv basic stuff like sun/moon/rising, the planets and what they represent, the houses, etc; but ive never seen a big breakdown of common terms! // if there is one and i havent seen it, feel free to direct me in the replies!! nothing wrong with learning.
keep in mind, im still learning, myself! i never claimed to be an astrologer, im just a person like you! if you have any advice, commentary, or corrections, send me an ask or gimme a reply! i won’t be mad if you aren’t mean.
so, starting with A and moving down to Z...
aspect - when two or more planets line up at an angle, and their energies mingle! some aspects are compatible, while some aren’t at all. breaking alphabetical order here to highlight some important aspects...
conjuct - an aspect with two or more planets in the same sign. this is basically when the energies of the two planets “blend”... which can either be magical, or super dysfunctional depending on the planets.
sextile - an aspect with two or more planets two signs apart. this is generally a very easy, compatible aspect where all planets involved are playing nice! as a rule of thumb, both planets must be in either earth/water or air/fire, so the energy will never be in conflict.
trine - an aspect with two or more planets four signs apart. this is often called the “sweet spot” and is where energy is harmonious and everything seems to be falling into place. planets are in their highest vibration state of synchronicity! all planets involved should be of the same element, and are working for the same agenda.
^^^ these aspects (conjuct, sextile, trine) are called “soft angle” aspects, and are generally very easy to work through!
square - an aspect with two or more planets three signs apart. this is basically an energetic tug of war where none of the planets involved want to put down their pitchforks and find a compromise! we generally teeter-totter between extremes during squares, and it’s important to emphasize finding a middle ground during these times.
quincunx - an aspect with two or more planets five signs apart. basically, none of the aspecting planets have anything in common, and it can feel like an awkward, out of place time in general! it can feel like your head is one place while your heart is somewhere else entirely-- in times like these, its important to understand the agenda of each planet involved and how they work off of each other rather than trying to get them to play nice-- it just won’t happen!
opposition - an aspect with two or more planets six signs apart. these planets are as far away from each other as possible, which creates major tension as the two polar extremes aspect! what’s important here is finding a balance with these energies, and seizing the opportunity to learn from both planets involved!
^^^ these aspects (square, quincunx, and opposite) are called “hard angle” aspects, which are definitely more challenging blending of energies!
for more information on aspects and examples of each, i highly recommend this source! shifting back to alphabetical order...
cusp - the dividing line between two signs or houses. so, if anyone says that they’re a sun in aries/taurus cusp, it means that the sun was hovering right over the line between aries and taurus at the time of their birth, which can “muddle” the energies of both signs in the planet, depending on the positioning!
eclipse - when the earth, sun, and moon all line up in the sky! these happen a few times in a year, and generally mark big changes and shifts in energy! for more on eclipses, i’ll be making posts dedicated to both soon!
element - the signs are grouped into the four elements: air, fire, earth, and water. if your chart has a lot of planets in a certain element, you’ll generally have a lot of the qualities of that element; if your chart is lacking in a certain element, you’ll have to work harder to cultivate the aspects of that element into your life to promote growth.
ephemeris - basically a big ass calendar of all the planets and what sign they’re in on any given day! they’re super useful if you want to keep an eye on the astrological weather, so to speak, and plan accordingly. for this years ephemeris, click this link!
equinox (and solstice) - equinoxes and solstices indicate a change in season, and are considered important in astrological practices. spring (March 21) and autumn (September 21) equinoxes indicate equal amounts of sunlight, as the sun is striking the equator. the winter (December 21) and summer (June 21) solstices are either the longest or the shortest days of the year, depending on which hemisphere you’re in. these dates may be a good time to use the energy for re-evaluating and making changes!
house - houses represent a specific area of life, and each adds another layer of interpretation. so, basically... when a planet enters a house, its energy has to work with the tools the house provides, while behaving the way its sign dictates. if that doesn’t make sense, think of it like this: the planet is a person in a job interview, the sign is the agenda the planet has, and the house is the job the planet is interviewing for.
moon phases - every 28 days, the moon cycles through four phases (new moon, waxing moon, full moon, waning moon). each phase of the moon has its own distinct energy and can impact the way we feel. its especially important to consider what sign the moon is in at the time, as well!
natal chart - (or birth chart) is basically a map of the sky the moment you were born. you can determine your natal chart if you know the exact date, time, and location of your birth (use this if you haven’t determined yours already!). the “big three” signs are your sun, moon, and rising/ascendant signs, as those are most indicative of your personality! (depending on the rest of your chart and aspects)
retrograde - when the earth is orbiting past the planet at a faster pace than that planet is moving, so the other planet appears to be moving backward. you may have heard of the mercury retrograde before, as people generally like to blame all their shortcomings on it! while its true, everything seems to be knocked into a real tizzy during a retrograde, it’s also a good time to reevaluate and work out the bugs in your life, especially in the area of the planet affected!
stellium - when, in your natal chart, three or more planets are in the same sign. if you have a stellium in your chart, the qualities of the sign may play a bigger role in your life than your “big three” signs. not everyone has a stellium, so don’t get freaked if you don’t have one!
transit - this is basically when a planet moves at all! new transits happen all the time, so astrology is never boring. to keep an eye on transits and big events, check out an ephemeris!