Square: 90° and the Orb

The geometric relationship

An aspect uses the shorter circular distance between two ecliptic longitudes. The exact target for a square is 90°. 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 104°. Their shorter separation is 92°, making the orb from the square target 2°. Starmora uses a 6° 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 square is a longitude relationship near 90°. Its symbolic reading examines friction, differing demands or a difference requiring action. Tension is not a punishment. Working on a subject, meeting two needs in sequence or building another method can all be useful ways of exploring the relationship.

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.

Name each need separately in a situation where they collide. Could you change the order or scale instead of meeting both completely at once? Do not turn a square reading into a required conflict outcome.