理解行星在宇宙中運行時所經歷的四個階段，以及這些配置可能如何影響行星所帶來的結果，是非常重要的。第一種配置發生在行星從距離地球最遠的位置向下移動，進入其軌道的中間部分時，也就是從其運行軌道上較遠的位置，移動到距離地球較近的位置。第二個階段發生在行星從軌道的中間部分，移動到其運行路徑上距離地球最近的位置，此處稱為近地點（perigee）。第三個階段是行星仍然非常接近地球，但已經離開近地點，因此隨著它逐漸遠離地球，也開始向較高的位置移動。行星軌道的最後一個階段發生在行星經過其運行路徑的中間部分，並逐漸接近距離地球最遠的位置，也就是遠地點（apogee）時。
熟悉這個週期非常重要，因為當行星離開遠地點的位置，並逐漸接近與太陽形成合相時，它們是向前順行的。然而，隨著行星繼續遠離遠地點，並經過其軌道的中間部分，它們便會在太陽對面的位置接近第一次留（first station）。這也意味著，在這個時刻，行星將會在太陽落下的同時升起。
然而，當行星從距離地球最近的位置，也就是近地點，開始向外移動時，它們會再次來到與太陽相對的位置。但在這個時刻，它們將進入第一次留，並開始沿著原先的路徑折返，也就是開始逆行（retrograde）。隨後，行星再次向外移動，朝向遠地點前進。在這個過程中，它們會在與太陽對分的位置進入第二次留（second station）。至此，整個壯觀的轉變過程便已完成，而行星也將繼續踏上其旅程的下一個階段。
It is essential to understand the four phases of the planets as they travel through the cosmos, and how these configurations might affect the possible outcomes of the planets. The first configuration occurs when a planet is traveling down from its farthest point away from the earth into the middle portion of its orbit, and is thus moving from a place farther out on its loop to a place that is closer to the earth. The second phase occurs when a planet is moving from this mid-section of its orbit to the part of its path that is closest to the earth, which is called its perigee. The third phase is when the planet is very close to the earth, but is leaving its point ofperigee, and is thus moving to a higher up place as it moves away from the earth. The last part of a planet’s orbit occurs when the planet has passed the middle part of its path, and is approaching the place in which it is farthest from the earth, its apogee.
It is important to be familiar with this cycle because planets that are moving away from their position of apogee, and approaching a conjunction with the sun, are moving forward. But as the planets continue to move away from this point of apogee and past the middle part of their orbit, they approach their first station at the place opposite to the sun, which also means that, at this point, the planets will be rising at the same time that the sun is setting. When, however, the planets are moving outwards from the point closest to the earth, or their perigee, they again come to the place opposite the sun, but at this point, they make their first station and begin to retrace their path, or go retrograde. The planets then move outwards again towards the point of apogee, and in doing so, make their second station in opposition to the sun, at which point the whole magnificent transition has occurred, and the planets move on to the next part of theirjourney.