How to read the shapes planets make together: aspect patterns, where planets cluster, and day and night charts.
How the planets are arranged matters as much as what each one means. The "Your chart at a glance" section of the Destiny Report shows this shape first.
Aspect patterns
Grand Trine
Three planets each 120° apart (trines) forming a large triangle. Talent flows naturally, though the ease can make you put in less effort.
T-Square
Two planets in opposition (180°), with a third planet square (90°) to both. Tension gathers in the third planet and becomes a strong drive.
Grand Cross
Four planets forming a cross with two oppositions and four squares. It shows both the strength and the strain of handling demands from several directions at once.
Yod
Two planets in sextile (60°), both quincunx (150°) to a third planet. The third planet points to a task that needs steady refining.
Patterns are looked for among the ten planets from the Sun to Pluto. Many charts have no pattern, and that doesn't make a chart lacking.
Where planets cluster
Stellium
Three or more planets gathered in one sign or one house. The theme of that sign or house shows up strongly in life.
Angular planet
A planet within 5° of one of the four angles (Ascendant, Descendant, Midheaven, IC). Being close to an angle, its character shows clearly on the outside.
Hemisphere emphasis
How much the planets lean toward the upper or lower half, or the eastern or western half, of the chart. Upper stresses the outer world, lower your private life, east your own initiative, and west movement through relationships.
Day, night and planets that help each other
Sect
Whether the Sun was above the horizon at birth (a day chart) or below it (a night chart). In a day chart the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn work more easily; in a night chart the Moon, Venus and Mars do.
Mutual reception
Two planets each sitting in the sign the other rules. For example, Mars in Libra (Venus's sign) and Venus in Aries (Mars's sign) are seen as helping each other.
Angular planets, hemisphere emphasis, sect and house stelliums need the Ascendant and houses. Without a birth time, these aren't used.