1. If planets aspect degrees, then signs shouldn't matter.
2. If planets aspect signs, then degrees shouldn't matter.
If 1. is true, then Sun at 30 Aries is in conjunction with Mercury at 1 Taurus.
If 2. is true, then Sun at 30 Aries is disjunct from Mercury at 1 Taurus.
If 1. is true, then Sun at 30 Aries is in sextile with Jupiter at 1 Cancer.
If 2. is true, then Sun at 30 Aries is in square with Jupiter at 1 Cancer.
Can a person hold that both statements are correct?
Which one seems more reasonable to you and why?
Hi petosiris,
I think you misunderstand the meaning and application.
When a body is not domiciled, it is important for that body to aspect the sign it rules. Some authorities suggest it's important or even more important to aspect the sign of exaltation.
That has to do with the body's influence on the house/sign it rules.
Jupiter inconjunct Pisces is not the same as Cancer Jupiter, because Cancer Jupiter trines his house. He can see what's going on and exercise influence over the affairs of that house and the bodies in it.
Aspects between bodies produces another result entirely and it's the influence of a body on another body.
Degrees do matter, because the whole theory is predicated on the rays of one body intersecting with another body.
In the case of moiety, it's the rays of one body intersecting with the rays of another body.
That's why Sun and Moon have larger orbs, because their rays are more powerful than the other bodies.
The closer the better. We need degrees to determine whether aspect is getting stronger or weaker. That's in general.
In your first example, I would consider the Sun-Mercury relation as conjunction by degree which is getting rapidly weaker. They are too close together, as Sun is already at the door looking at Mercury. But if Sun is at 25°Ar, I wouldn't say they are conjunct.
I'm allowing 3° for out of sign relations, especially if planets are applying.
I believe Antiochus said something about this, maybe I'm wrong. I should check.
Hi Tiarus,
A conjunction is not a true aspect. Think of it this way, especially since it's Winter:
You and I are on a bobsled. We are joined together, yeah, conjunct, and we are working together as one to steer the bobsled and win a Gold Medal.
But what if we were inconjunct? I can't see you, you can't see me, I can't help you, and you can't help me.
What if I was opposite you heading right at you? I'm not on your bobsled, I'm on my own. That probably wouldn't work out too well for either of us.
What if I was trine to you? I could yell or signal to you whether you're ahead or behind and what you need to do to make things work. I can't do it for you, because I'm not on the bobsled with you, but I can help you.
And if I was square to you? I could warn you about a sharp icy curve coming up, or if I was really cruel, throw snowballs at you in hopes that you would wreck. Of course, you're alone on the bobsled so you do the wrecking, not me. I just create the circumstances for you to wreck.
If I was sextile, I could probably only yell words of encouragement to you.
See?
When two bodies join together as in a conjunction, they are combining all of their strengths and weaknesses together as one.
When they are in aspect, they are only imparting an influence, good or bad on the other body.