Dissociate aspect (astrology)

In astrology, a dissociate aspect (also known as an out-of-sign aspect) is an astrological aspect, such as a conjunction, opposition, trine, square, or quincunx, that is within its allowable orb, but out of its designated sign. A dissociate aspect is believed to be less powerful than it would be otherwise, so that it is weaker than those aspects that are in their designated signs.

For instance, a trine is formed with two planets are 120 degrees with an orb of 8 degrees. Therefore, two planets can form a trine to each other if they are anywhere from 112 degrees to 128 degrees apart. Trines are considered to be very beneficial because a free flow of energy exists between the two planets that form a trine to each other. Ideally, trines should occur in the same triplicity, ie water should trine water, air should trine air, earth should trine earth, and fire should trine fire.

There will be others instances, however, when a trine, or other aspect for that matter, does not occur in its designated sign. For example, under ideal circumstances Venus at, say, 27 degrees Pisces would trine the Moon at 27 degrees Cancer. Because of the allowable 8 degree orb, the Moon could still form a trine anywhere from 19 degrees Cancer to 5 degrees Leo. Therefore, if the Moon is posited in 2 degrees Leo it is still a trine, but an out of sign or dissociate trine. It is therefore felt that because the Moon, although technically forming a trine to Venus, does not exert the maximum influence or benefit that it would otherwise be capable of because it is not in the same element.