The Great Orb Debate

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1nluv
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The Great Orb Debate

Post by 1nluv »

Hello fellow students of astrology! I've become aware as you may have, that there is disagreement among astrologers (professional and otherwise) about how much distance (or orb) between aspecting planets or points has an effect. It seems to be a matter of personal preference. Some astrologers don't consider anything beyond a 3 degree orb, while some consider up to 12 degrees or more. And I'm sure astrologers also distinguish whether they're looking at transits, natal charts, synastry, etc. when determining the importance of the orb.

Now to me, larger orbs make sense, and today I actually experienced a concrete example of that. I was working on two unrelated projects this morning which both got delayed for separate reasons. I then remembered the moon is Cancer, where I have Saturn retrograde natally. At the time the second project got delayed, the moon was approaching my natal Saturn at just under 8 degrees orb.

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience they want to share about this topic?
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Noel Eastwood
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Re: The Great Orb Debate

Post by Noel Eastwood »

1nluv, that is a great example of using astrology to learn how it works in action.

You are right, natal orbs are quite different to transiting orbs of influence. Natally I use a 10 deg orb, but with stelliums I broaden that orb to up to 15 degrees. This is called a 'wide conjunction' and airly commonly accepted by most professional astrologers.

Transits - this is quite different for each planet. Moon travels up to 13 degrees in a day, that's about 1 degree every 2 hours give or take. This is called a 'fast transit', and fast it sure is, so fast most people won't feel it. Some do though, particularly those with a very strong Cancer / Moon dominance in their chart. I would use a one hour orb for the Moon, I'd try to keep it so tight that what I am experiencing is exactly what the Moon is doing, which is how you work out what a planet does in your chart - unconfounded observation.

Personal planets: Sun, Mercury and Venus, travel about 1 degree each day, so when it crosses another point or planet in your chart that is the day you meditate on it. Keep this orb tight, perhaps a quarter to a half degree orb. Mars travels a little faster so I would give him a few days to make his presence known.

As you move out in the solar system with the outer planets they are slower and so will sit on a planet or point in your chart for weeks, months and even years. This applies enormous pressure on sensitive points in your chart and generally are what most people recognise as a 'hard time'. These are usually what sends people for counselling.

A planet in transit will approach a natal planet which is when you feel it's presence, this is called an Applying aspect. For outer planet transits to a personal planet the orb starts off roughly 4 to 7 degrees applying. Applying aspects build tension right up to the moment of it becoming exact. This culminates in you feeling the transiting planet's fullest impact or influence on your natal planet. As it moves past and away it is 'Separating' and the tension that built previously during the Applying phase very quickly drops away.

So, to make this lecture a bit shorter, natal aspects: I use 10 up to 15 degrees depending on what is happening in the chart. Transiting planets are different and the orb changes according to who and what is involved. I hope this helps a little.

You can also read this in more detail in my free lessons.
1nluv
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Re: The Great Orb Debate

Post by 1nluv »

Great point Noel about the speed at which the planets travel. I see you're in the larger orb camp :)
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Noel Eastwood
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Re: The Great Orb Debate

Post by Noel Eastwood »

yep, it works for me but only for the natal chart, with transits I prefer very tight orbs.
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