Opposition

Definition

An opposition is the aspect you get when two planets sit on directly opposite sides of the zodiac — an angle of 180°, the circle divided by two. It links signs of compatible elements (fire with air, or earth with water) that also share the same mode: cardinal with cardinal, fixed with fixed, mutable with mutable. The usual orb — how far from exact it can be — is 6–8°.

In Tradition

Most Western astrologers read the opposition as the aspect of polarity and awareness, one of the so-called hard or challenging aspects. It is held to be among the most powerful aspects of all, though astrologers disagree about whether it outranks the square.

In Practice

An opposition in your chart points to a polarity you tend to grow by consciously integrating rather than choosing one side. It looms especially large when astrologers compare two people's charts, since it describes the axis of self and other. Watching the sky over time, the opposition marks the peak or full-awareness point of a planetary cycle — the monthly Full Moon is a Sun–Moon opposition. In world astrology, an outer planet opposite the Sun is at its brightest, closest to Earth. The standard orb is 6–8°.

Historical Origin

Hellenistic sources name it diametros (διάμετρος, 'diameter'). In the Hellenistic scheme of planetary rulerships, the opposition naturally links each luminary to its associated malefic, so the aspect's difficult nature is built into the structure of the zodiac itself. It was classed as adversarial and rivalrous.

Further Reading

• Sue Tompkins, Aspects in Astrology
• Robert Hand, Horoscope Symbols
• Bil Tierney, Dynamics of Aspect Analysis