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Author Topic:   What is the importance and function of orbs in astrology?
neptunicity
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posted April 12, 2012 05:19 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for neptunicity     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I already know what degrees are in astrology, but i'm still confused regarding orbs. What are they and what's their purpose? I read before that they are used to measure the impact of influence an aspect has over a birth chart or a synastry chart. It also determines whether an aspect is a conjunction, opposition, square, sextile or trine. Correct me if i'm wrong. So with that said, i also read that even if you have a certain aspect, the effect will only be significant if the orb is no more than 3 degrees. Greater than 3 degrees, then that aspect's impact is not felt that much. Is that true? And how about for birth charts? Does it have to be not above a certain number, because if it's past the designated degree, then that aspect's energies and influences aren't felt that much? Kindly enlighten me here. Thank you in advance.

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Aquacheeka
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posted April 12, 2012 10:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aquacheeka     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by neptunicity:
I already know what degrees are in astrology, but i'm still confused regarding orbs. What are they and what's their purpose? I read before that they are used to measure the impact of influence an aspect has over a birth chart or a synastry chart. It also determines whether an aspect is a conjunction, opposition, square, sextile or trine. Correct me if i'm wrong. So with that said, i also read that even if you have a certain aspect, the effect will only be significant if the orb is no more than 3 degrees. Greater than 3 degrees, then that aspect's impact is not felt that much. Is that true? And how about for birth charts? Does it have to be not above a certain number, because if it's past the designated degree, then that aspect's energies and influences aren't felt that much? Kindly enlighten me here. Thank you in advance.


No, that's not true. 3 degrees (to 5) may be true for sextiles but for conjunctions it's as powerful as 10 degrees; 8 for squares, 6 for trines. It depends on the aspect. Conjunctions are poweful.

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atlantis
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posted April 12, 2012 11:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for atlantis     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Degrees determine the type of aspect, orbs determine the strength of these aspects. So two planets in exact trine would be 120º apart, a tight orb may be ±5º (or less), and a loose orb may be 10º (or less) on either side of the exact trine.

I've been wondering about orbs myself, such as how one decides what is appropriate to use. I understand that this is partly up to the astrologer's preference. Obviously, an aspect with a tight orb would be weighted as being of greater importance, and considered first.

However, besides depending on the aspect (such as whether or not it is a major or minor one), doesn't it also depend on the (prominence of the) planets making the aspect?

For example, the luminaries (Sun and Moon) being allowed a greater orb than the other personal planets, which in turn are allowed a greater orb than the outer/generational planets. This would also correlate with the planet's speed - the idea being that the faster planets may well have been moments away from becoming exact. I don't know if I'm explaining myself clearly, but words like 'potential', 'velocity' and 'momentum' come to mind.

What about where it involves angles, points, and asteroids?

I remember reading somewhere that the orbs on Astro.com's chart generator is too wide, and that people should reduce it to at least 80-85%. I don't even know what the default is, and if it varies by type of aspect to begin with!

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Aquacheeka
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posted April 12, 2012 11:39 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aquacheeka     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by atlantis:
I've been wondering about orbs myself, such as how one decides what is appropriate to use. I understand that this is partly up to the astrologer's preference. Obviously, an aspect with a tight orb would be weighted as being of greater importance, and considered first.

However, besides depending on the aspect (such as whether or not it is a major or minor one), doesn't it also depend on the (prominence of the) planets making the aspect?

For example, the luminaries (Sun and Moon) being allowed a greater orb than the other personal planets, which in turn are allowed a greater orb than the outer/generational planets. This would also correlate with the planet's speed - the idea being that the faster planets may well have been moments away from becoming exact. I don't know if I'm explaining myself clearly, but words like 'potential', 'velocity' and 'momentum' come to mind.



This is an excellent point, atlantis!


quote:
Originally posted by atlantis:
I remember reading somewhere that the orbs on Astro.com's chart generator is too wide, and that people should reduce it to at least 80-85%.


This certainly explains something that had me puzzled this week. According to astro.com, I have a Venus-Mars square out-of-sign with an orb of 7 degrees. But it could also be interpreted as a Venus-Mars sextile by sign but not by aspect. I don't know whether to count it as a square or not! I think cafeastrology did not include it in my natal chart interpretation.

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atlantis
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posted April 12, 2012 12:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for atlantis     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Aquacheeka:

This certainly explains something that had me puzzled this week. According to astro.com, I have a Venus-Mars square out-of-sign with an orb of 7 degrees. But it could also be interpreted as a Venus-Mars sextile by sign but not by aspect. I don't know whether to count it as a square or not! I think cafeastrology did not include it in my natal chart interpretation.


Hello, my fellow Torontonian! IMO, aspects between planets et al. trump aspects between signs. So I would say you've got a Venus-Mars square. Now whether or not 7º is too wide of an orb is up for debate.

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Aquacheeka
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posted April 12, 2012 12:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Aquacheeka     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by atlantis:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Aquacheeka:
[b]
This certainly explains something that had me puzzled this week. According to astro.com, I have a Venus-Mars square out-of-sign with an orb of 7 degrees. But it could also be interpreted as a Venus-Mars sextile by sign but not by aspect. I don't know whether to count it as a square or not! I think cafeastrology did not include it in my natal chart interpretation.


Hello, my fellow Torontonian! IMO, aspects between planets et al. trump aspects between signs. So I would say you've got a Venus-Mars square. Now whether or not 7º is too wide of an orb is up for debate. [/B][/QUOTE]


Hi! Very cool that you live in TO!

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Sashar
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posted April 12, 2012 12:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Sashar     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
IMO, aspects between planets et al. trump aspects between signs.

Sorry to butt into your convo neptunicity, if this isn't on your topic but:

Would you say two planets who are in generally squaring signs but not aspected by degree/orb as being square still has the "feeling" of being square, only not as strong as it would if they were aspected by degree/orb?

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Yin
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posted April 12, 2012 12:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Yin     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This looks like a thread for the new Astrology for Beginners forum.

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atlantis
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posted April 12, 2012 01:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for atlantis     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Sashar:
Would you say two planets who are in generally squaring signs but not aspected by degree/orb as being square still has the "feeling" of being square, only not as strong as it would if they were aspected by degree/orb?

Maybe. I don't know if it's necessarily the feeling of being 'square', as opposed to simply the lack of affinity between the signs, being of elements that don't complement each other. With that said though, these signs would be of the same quality.

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neptunicity
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posted April 13, 2012 03:57 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for neptunicity     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the replies, i'm now beginning to understand astrology much better. So degrees are what determines an aspect to be a conjunction, opposition, sextile, or trine, while the orb determines how great or less influence an aspect has over a birth chart or synastry chart. I still have a lot to learn in astrology, so i don't mind if the replies go off topic at times, because i'll learn more from it anyway. And i felt that it would be better to ask here since most of the people who post here are experts in astrology. I still don't know yet what are the points, angles, asteroids, nodes, midpoints, part of fortune, etc. but i have heard of them, so if anyone is kind enough to explain them, it would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, since i heard a complaint about astro.com, then that means that their birth charts have a tendency to be inaccurate. I know my exact birth time and place, but astro.com says i have a gemini ascendant, which i can't relate to. On the other hand, cafeastrology says that i have an aquarius ascendant, which i can relate to more, especially when i looked at how the positions of the planets and signs in the houses match my traits and the events of my life.

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Lonake
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posted April 13, 2012 04:00 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lonake     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
To go from Gemini to Aqua ASC is too much of a divide if you entered the same data. Astro.com is accurate.

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neptunicity
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posted April 15, 2012 12:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for neptunicity     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The ascendant is the only part that is wrong though. All the other stuff like moon, venus, mars sign, etc. are consistent with all the other sites that i tried. When i was reading the ascendant table in serendipity-astrolovers.com, it said that the charts tend to be accurate for the people who live in the US and the carribean islands. I live in asia, so maybe that's why my ascendant wavers between gemini and aquarius.

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violet7887
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posted April 15, 2012 01:05 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for violet7887     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Hi Neptunicity,

Welcome

Generally Astro.com is accurate and used by most here but I think I knnow what you are talking about. I once tried to create a chart for a friend and her birth data came up different a coupe of times with the same info, I dont really know what that was, maybe a glitch. Even if you are unaware of your Place of birth and you try to fill in different places from east to west it is not possible for your Ascendant placement to fluctuate in a 150 degree range (Gem to Aqua.) given that the rest of your birth info is correct.

Idk it may just be a glitch but most likely Astro.com is accurate. Try this http://www.astrowin.org/astro123.php

This was posted by Sand here recently. If you have any questions with it let me know, or even Sand, I'm sure he wont mind. It should give you the correct birth chart info given that your info is accurate.

Oh and about the orbs, generally I have heard to reduce the orb to 40%. What you can do though is start at 5% orb and move up by 5 to see what aspects manifest strongest in your chart.

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scrappydog
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posted April 15, 2012 05:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for scrappydog     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Orbs in astrology is a very Subjective topic, many astrologers say 8* for natal, 3* for syanstry and 1* for transits. I am not conservative, im liberal, but thats how I feel the planets...we are not created equal and our sensitivity to planetary energies is very different. Also your unique planetary energies in your own birth chart will effect how you feel the energy. I am extrememly plutonian and pluto transits/synastry are my most powerful, life altering transits/synastry ever....yet I see people who go through pluto transits/synastry and seem as if they hardly feel Anything...Maybe everything depends on your souls evolutionary karmic path in the end.
I feel natal aspects to 11-12* and in syanstry I feel tham to about 8*. In transits I feel tham about 6* though they may not intensify till the 2nd or 3rd*.

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sand
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posted April 15, 2012 06:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for sand     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Has anyone tried increasing to 110 or 120% to see what aspects popped up?

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violet7887
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posted April 15, 2012 06:23 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for violet7887     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by sand:
Has anyone tried increasing to 110 or 120% to see what aspects popped up?


Yes, I actually get Moon trine Venus at 101(which I consider there even though it does not show up normally) and then Jupiter square Moon at 110.

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sand
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posted April 15, 2012 06:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for sand     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have a lot at 110% hafta read up on them if I feel them or not..

Sun conj Venus
Moon square Saturn
Moon trine mars
Moon trine Uranus


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Lonake
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posted April 15, 2012 09:06 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Lonake     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by neptunicity:
The ascendant is the only part that is wrong though. All the other stuff like moon, venus, mars sign, etc. are consistent with all the other sites that i tried. When i was reading the ascendant table in serendipity-astrolovers.com, it said that the charts tend to be accurate for the people who live in the US and the carribean islands. I live in asia, so maybe that's why my ascendant wavers between gemini and aquarius.

OK but your birth info doesn't waver.

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Libran Kale
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posted April 15, 2012 11:32 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Libran Kale     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A quick summary:

The tighter the orb, the stronger the aspect (which, subsequently, the more pronounced effect).

0°00' Orb = Exact aspect (most powerful)
Under 1°00' Orb = Powerful, should be taken notice of
3°00' Orb = Normal, tighter
5°00' Orb = Normal, looser
8°00' Orb = Loose
10°00' Orb = Very loose, relatively weak effects

Your mileage may vary.

LK

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neptunicity
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posted April 17, 2012 09:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for neptunicity     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by violet7887:
Hi Neptunicity,

Welcome

Generally Astro.com is accurate and used by most here but I think I knnow what you are talking about. I once tried to create a chart for a friend and her birth data came up different a coupe of times with the same info, I dont really know what that was, maybe a glitch. Even if you are unaware of your Place of birth and you try to fill in different places from east to west it is not possible for your Ascendant placement to fluctuate in a 150 degree range (Gem to Aqua.) given that the rest of your birth info is correct.

Idk it may just be a glitch but most likely Astro.com is accurate. Try this http://www.astrowin.org/astro123.php

This was posted by Sand here recently. If you have any questions with it let me know, or even Sand, I'm sure he wont mind. It should give you the correct birth chart info given that your info is accurate.

Oh and about the orbs, generally I have heard to reduce the orb to 40%. What you can do though is start at 5% orb and move up by 5 to see what aspects manifest strongest in your chart.


Thank you very much for the link, i downloaded the software, and my ascendant turned out to be aquarius. I knew i couldn't be a gemini, lol. A great majority of people told me that their 1st impression of me was that i'm "aloof", i look "snobbish" and "unapproachable" and somewhat "detached". So i couldn't identify at all with the gemini ascendant. So i've come to the conclusion that astro.com is accurate for US residents, but if you were born outside the US, use cafeastrology.com instead. Regarding the orbs, i haven't studied that part yet where you can increase it, so i still have to research about that. And by the way, i saw some of my degrees typed as negative, while using the astro123 software. For example, "sun trine saturn -1.1" and when i get to the part where saturn comes first, it said "saturn trine sun 1.1" So i was wondering what the negative sign meant in the degrees?

And to Libran Kale, thank you for your input. My lowest degrees seems to be 0.02, and the most loose is 10.4.

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