Square

Classical source

Ptolemy classifies the square (quartile) as inharmonious, formed by signs of the same modality. Described as friction or productive tension.

Modern Western reading

Modern reading: creative tension. The two bodies push against each other, generating energy that demands resolution.

Square between two planets

Cited reference for this aspect between each pair of planets. Inner-planet pairs only list aspects their orbits can actually form.

• ☉ Sun□☽ Moon
• ☉ Sun□♂ Mars
• ☉ Sun□♃ Jupiter
• ☉ Sun□♄ Saturn
• ☉ Sun□♅ Uranus
• ☉ Sun□♆ Neptune
• ☉ Sun□♇ Pluto
• ☽ Moon□☿ Mercury
• ☽ Moon□♀ Venus
• ☽ Moon□♂ Mars
• ☽ Moon□♃ Jupiter
• ☽ Moon□♄ Saturn
• ☽ Moon□♅ Uranus
• ☽ Moon□♆ Neptune
• ☽ Moon□♇ Pluto
• ☿ Mercury□♂ Mars
• ☿ Mercury□♃ Jupiter
• ☿ Mercury□♄ Saturn
• ☿ Mercury□♅ Uranus
• ☿ Mercury□♆ Neptune
• ☿ Mercury□♇ Pluto
• ♀ Venus□♂ Mars
• ♀ Venus□♃ Jupiter
• ♀ Venus□♄ Saturn
• ♀ Venus□♅ Uranus
• ♀ Venus□♆ Neptune
• ♀ Venus□♇ Pluto
• ♂ Mars□♃ Jupiter
• ♂ Mars□♄ Saturn
• ♂ Mars□♅ Uranus
• ♂ Mars□♆ Neptune
• ♂ Mars□♇ Pluto
• ♃ Jupiter□♄ Saturn
• ♃ Jupiter□♅ Uranus
• ♃ Jupiter□♆ Neptune
• ♃ Jupiter□♇ Pluto
• ♄ Saturn□♅ Uranus
• ♄ Saturn□♆ Neptune
• ♄ Saturn□♇ Pluto
• ♅ Uranus□♆ Neptune
• ♅ Uranus□♇ Pluto
• ♆ Neptune□♇ Pluto

Other aspects

• ☌Conjunction 0°
• ☍Opposition 180°
• △Trine 120°
• ⚹Sextile 60°
• ⚺Semisextile 30°
• ∠Semisquare 45°
• QQuintile 72°
• ⚼Sesquiquadrate 135°
• bQBiquintile 144°
• ⚻Quincunx 150°

Questions

What is a square in astrology?

A major aspect of 90 degrees. Ptolemy classifies the square (quartile) as inharmonious, formed by signs of the same modality. Described as friction or productive tension. Modern reading: creative tension. The two bodies push against each other, generating energy that demands resolution.

How is the square angle of 90 degrees derived?

90 degrees divides the circle into 4 equal parts. Aspects are ratios of the circle rather than arbitrary distances, which is why the major set is small: the major aspects come from the simplest divisions, and each further subdivision produces a narrower, more contested aspect.

What orb should a square use?

This site uses 7 degrees by default for the square. Orb is a convention, not a measured quantity: there is no agreed value, practitioners commonly tighten orbs for minor aspects and for slow-moving bodies, and some assign orb to the planets involved rather than to the aspect. Widen the orb and more aspects appear; narrow it and the same chart looks sparse. Any aspect list is therefore only comparable to another when both state the orb used.

Is the square a good or bad aspect?

Classical sources class the square as tense. That describes friction between the two bodies, not a verdict: tense aspects are where most sources locate motivation and development, and a chart with none is not a better chart.