Opposition

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The opposition is a second harmonic aspect in which the angle formed by division is 180°. When two points are in opposition it means that from a geocentric position on earth, the two bodies appear to be in exactly opposite points in the zodiac. Just as the number two is a division of one into opposite polarities, two planets or points that lie in opposition act as polar opposites. There is a lot of tension and bouncing back and forth between the two planetary energies seeking balance. However, because the planets lie on the same axis, their signs are complementary in nature. Therefore the tension between the two energies is usually resolved after quite a bit of vacillation. The signs of the planets share the same gender and quality, but not the same element. The speed and likelihood of action will also be affected by the quality of the houses, whether angular, cadent or succedent.

Since gender is the same, the elements are at least complementary (either yin or yang). This gives some common ground. For example, an opposition between planets in Taurus and Scorpio results in a conflict between stability and transformation, but either way the action will be passively expressed. The opposition is considered nearly as powerful as the conjunction, particularly when exact in orb.

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