Astrology
Orb
Definition
The degree of allowance around an exact aspect — how many degrees from perfect an angle between two planets can be and still count. The tighter the orb, the stronger the aspect.
An orb is the margin of allowance around an exact aspect. Aspects rarely land on a perfect angle, so astrology gives each one a tolerance: a trine is exactly 120°, but one at 123° is still counted as a trine, within orb.
The key rule is simple: the tighter the orb, the stronger the aspect. An aspect within a degree or two of exact is powerful and clearly felt; one near the edge of its allowed orb is faint. When reading a chart, the tight aspects are the ones that matter most, and the wide ones fade into the background. Different astrologers use slightly different orb sizes, with larger allowances given to aspects involving the Sun and Moon.
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