Ask a question — and the sky answers from the chart of the moment. In the tradition of William Lilly: significators, a yes-or-no judgment, the timing of the matter.
Horary astrology answers a specific question from the chart cast for the moment the question was asked and understood. It is the oldest branch of the craft: the querent (the asker) and the quesited (the matter) are each given a significator — the ruler of the relevant house under the traditional rulerships of the seven visible planets. An applying aspect between them promises completion; a separating aspect speaks of a moment that has passed; the Moon serves as universal co-significator and shows the flow of events.
First the considerations before judgment are weighed — the radicality of the chart. Then the main aspect between significators is assessed, alongside obstacles (prohibition, combustion, retrogradation) and secondary testimony — receptions, fixed stars, house placement. From all this a clear answer follows: yes, no, yes with a condition, yes via an intermediary, or too early to judge.
Will my lover come back, will I get this job, will the lost object be found, should I make this deal, will I win the lawsuit, will I pass the exam. Horary is at its strongest with concrete questions that admit a clear yes-or-no answer and a foreseeable timeframe.