Sextile: 60° and the Orb

The geometric relationship

An aspect uses the shorter circular distance between two ecliptic longitudes. The exact target for a sextile is 60°. A difference exceeding 180° is subtracted from 360°. This also handles placements across the 0°/360° boundary correctly. A general relationship between signs and an exact degree-based aspect are different layers.

Orb: distance from exactness

For example, take longitudes of 12° and 74°. Their shorter separation is 62°, making the orb from the sextile target 2°. Starmora uses a 4° limit for this aspect, capped at 3° for pairs containing a lunar node. This is a method convention rather than calculation error or a rule shared by every astrologer.

Symbolic interpretation

A sextile is a longitude relationship near 60°. Symbolically it is explored as themes offering options, connections or usable support to each other. A possibility need not operate automatically. Noticing help and turning it into action is one way to compare the interpretation with actual experience.

Natal, transit and synastry

A natal aspect relates two bodies at birth. A transit relates a body at the chosen time to a natal position; synastry relates the natal positions of two people. The same aspect name does not make these contexts identical. The orb alone cannot establish applying or separating motion: direction and change over time must also be calculated.

Read the line alongside the interpretation

The chart connection joins the actual longitude points rather than necessarily the centres of symbols displaced for readability. The table shows separation and orb separately. A near-limit aspect can change inclusion with a small input difference. First identify the connected bodies, then add their signs and houses.

Which two abilities make a task easier when used together? Does the support remain an idea or become useful in a small action? Record the outcome through an example.