ASPECT,Aspectus, in Perspective, Gardening, etc. See PROSPECT, EXPOSURE, etc. Aspect, in Astronomy, is used for the Situation of the Stars, or Planets, in respect of each other; or certain Configurations, and mutual Relations between the Planets, arising from their Situations in the Zodiac. See STAR, PLANET, etc. Though such Configurations may be varied, and combined a thousand Ways, yet only a few of them are considered.— Hence, Wolff more accurately defines Aspect the meeting of luminous Rays emitted from two Planets, to the Earth, either situated in the same Right Line, or including an Angle which is one or more, Quota Parts of four Right Angles. See RAY and ANGLE. Hence it follows, that Conjunction and Opposition are the two Extremes of the Aspects; Conjunction being the Beginning, and Opposition the highest Term.
See CONJUNCTION and OPPOSITION.
Besides these two extreme Aspects,Conjunction, and Opposition, the Ancients reckoned three others, viz. Trigon or Trine, the Angle measured by AB. Zab. Astrou. Fig. 3. Tetragon or Square, the Angle measured by the Quadrant AD; and Sextile, which is the Angle measured by the Sextant AG. See Trigon, Tetragon, Quadrature and Sextile. The Doctrine of Aspects was introduced by the Astrologers, as the Foundation of their Predictions. —Hence Kepler defines Aspect by an Angle formed by the Rays of two Planets meeting on the Earth, able to excite some natural Power or Influence. Accordingly, we read much of benign Aspects, malign Aspects, etc.—But this Notion is long ago exploded. See ASTROLOGY. To the ancient Aspects,the modern Writers have added several more; as Decile, containing the tenth Part of a Circle; Tridecile, three tenths; and Biquintile, four tenths, or two fifths—Kepler adds others, as he tells us, from meteorological Observations; as, the Semi-Sextile, containing the twelfth part of a Circle; and Quincunx, containing five twelfths.—Lastly, to the astrological Physicians we owe Octile, containing one eighth; and Trioctile, containing three eighths. The Angle intercepted between two Planets in the Aspect of Conjunction is 0; in the Semi-Sextile Aspect, 30°; in Decile, 36°; in Octile, 45°; in Sextile, 60°; in Sutile, 72°; in Quartile, 90°; in Tridecile, 108°; in Trine, 120°; in Trioctile, 135°; in Biquintile, 144°; in Quincunx, 150°; in Opposition, 180°. These Angles or Intervals are reckoned on the secondary Circles; for the manner whereof, see Secondary Circle. The Aspects are usually divided into Partile and Platic. Partile Aspects,are when the Planets are just so many Degrees distant, as is above expressed.— Platic Aspects,are when the Planets do not regard each other from these exact Degrees, but the one exceeds as much as the other comes short.— Double Aspect,is used in Painting, where a single Figure is so contrived, as to represent two or more different Objects, either by changing the Position of the Eye, or by means of angular Glasses.— Instances hereof see under the Articles Mirror, Catoptrick Cistula, Anamorphosis, etc.
