A Comprehensive Guide to Birth Chart Compatibility for Our Starboys

Astrology and horoscopes are fun because they cut straight to everyone’s favorite fascination: themselves. Your moon sign is Scorpio? Obviously, you stalk your ex on Instagram from a burner account. You can’t help it. You were born this way. 

Blaming Mercury retrograde for hooking up with your ex isn’t the only advantage of reading your birth chart. Astrological signs are also great for harshly judging a potential mate’s birth chart compatibility over brunch with the girls.

For some, it might sound silly to dismiss a stud because their Venus clashes with your Mars. But sometimes, the stars don’t lie. Some zodiac signs go together like gays and Gaga. And when it comes to the dating scene, we’ll take all the extra guidance we can get.

Do the stars get a say in your love life?

Pulling out a love calculator and reading a date’s zodiac sign compatibility isn’t just a fun first date question; it’s practical. If his sun sign is water and yours is fire, this detailed celestial check can save you both the hassle of trying to force the evening’s casual sex into a long-term relationship.

Do remember to take your birthday compatibility with a grain of Himalayan salt. Although understanding your sun, moon, and rising signs can help you tap into the nuances of your personality traits, your aura isn’t carved into extraterrestrial stone. A cutie with a perfectly matching sign might make a great lover, but celestial compatibility won’t help if he isn’t over his ex. Likewise, people with opposing signs can love each other enough to work through their differences. 

Instead, use your birth charts as a launching pad to have deeper conversations around your overall romantic compatibility, like whether they believe in platonic love or ethical non-monogamy.

If you’re not an unlicensed astrologer like us, here’s a breakdown of the basics to read your birth charts:

Astrology 101: Understand the elements

You know that feeling when you meet someone and immediately vibe? You might have several signs and planets that share the same elements. 

Your entire natal chart is built around eleven signs: the sun, moon, and ascendant signs, plus all eight planets. Yes, Pluto is a planet for our purposes (and we demand justice for that icy, interstellar twink!).

These signs are categorized into one of four elements: water, fire, air, and earth. Adding up your elements and comparing them to a potential bae is an easy way to read complicated birth charts and test romantic compatibility.

As a basic rule, fire and air signs ignite one another, and water and earth signs flow. Regardless of whether you’re analyzing your moon sign or house of Mars, you generally want the same or compatible elements. 

Let’s take your main zodiac sign as an example. If your sun sign is Virgo (an earth sign) and he is Cancer (a water sign), you might make a great match. The same goes for Sagittarius (a fire sign) and Gemini (an air sign). Now, do the same for all your signs. It might be more than just a casual hookup if you have more complimentary elements than opposing ones. 

Here’s a basic rundown of all the elements: 

Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces

Water is your ability to feel. A natal chart with lots of water placements means you flow freely with your emotions, whereas a lack of water signs may make it hard to express yourself. 

Air signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

Air signs represent your ability to communicate and socialize. The more air signs in your birth chart, the more you tend to be stuck in your thoughts or disconnected from the world around you. 

Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn

Earth signs indicate the traits that keep you grounded, including practicality and realism. No-nonsense, type-A planners have lots of earth placements.

Fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

The element of fire is all passion and strength in life. But lots of fire doesn’t necessarily mean a big personality. Ironically, people with fire-dominant birth charts tend to be slower to open up since they must protect their passion. 

And here’s how they all supposedly mesh with one another:

• Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) are compatible with other water and earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn).
• Air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) are compatible with other air and fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius).
• Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) are compatible with other earth and water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces).
• Fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) are compatible with other fire signs and air signs (Gemini, Libras, and Aquarius).

If you want to know whether he’s the yin to your yang, consider working with an astrologer, using an app like Co-Star, or trying an online love calculator. 

How to find zodiac compatibility 

Astrologically speaking, your unique self is made up of 11 different signs. But three key signs dominate your overall personality: your sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign. Here’s how to read them:  

Sun sign relationship compatibility

Your sun sign (sometimes referred to as a “birth sign” or “star sign”) is what most people know as their main zodiac sign. People use their sun sign to read their daily horoscope because this part of one’s natal chart represents their self-image, loudest personality traits, and motivations — your core. Your sun sign is also how star studiers will stereotype you, like Cancers being emotional queens and Scorpios being low-key serial killers.

Unless you’re a self-obsessed Leo, you might not want more than a fling with someone who shares your sun sign. Although you’ll probably get along, it might feel too much like a circle jerk. For better sexual chemistry and romantic compatibility, look for partners with complementary elements.

Moon sign relationship compatibility

Hardcore astrology queens argue that your moon sign is more important than your sun sign. Your moon sign represents your internal self — the real you. Sometimes, this can clash with your sun sign. For example, if you’re Virgo sun and Leo moon, you might appear humble and practical on the outside despite all the drama and idealism dominating your inner monologue. 

The moon sign rules your emotions, moods, and feelings, so you might identify more with your moon than your sun. People tend to show their moon characteristics when alone or completely comfortable. Knowing what placement rules your partner’s moon sign can offer crucial insight into how they’ll nurture you and expect to be nurtured back.

Rising sign relationship compatibility

Your rising sign (sometimes called your ascendant) is the “mask” you show the world. Everything from your personal style to how you introduce yourself is ruled by your rising sign. If you and your boo both passionately love (or hate) Taylor Swift, share a wardrobe, or choose the same songs at karaoke, you likely have compatible rising signs. 

Sharing a rising sign (for example, you are both Pisces rising) or the same element (you both have ascendant fire signs) is a good thing. But, similar to your sun sign, you can also choose compatible elements, like rising earth and water signs. 

Venus and Mars: The house that sex and love built

Venus and Mars represent love and sex, making them inseparable when defining your romantic and sexual chemistry. Here’s a quick breakdown:

The Attractor: Venus

Your Venus determines what you love. And we’re not just talking about people. It determines your attachment to worldly desires, from money to beauty. Whether you’re a Daddy who loves to give lavish gifts or a sugar baby who yearns to be pampered, your Venus determines long-term relationship compatibility.

The Pursuer: Mars

Mars is the planet that controls your aggression. It influences how you assert yourself and take action — in and out of the bedroom. Here, elements can often be read pretty literally.

Dealing with a boy who’s emotional and passive-aggressive? He’s probably got Mars in a water sign that flows over like Cancer or Pisces. Want to hit and quit with a hard and fast pounding? Look for a papi with Mars in a fire sign, like Leo or Aries. 

How do we intertwine the two like a suspended congress?

It’s OK to test the waters. There’s nothing wrong with looking for a fiery Aries stud or a patient and persistent Virgo king that dicks you down nice and slow. But, if you want long-lasting sexual compatibility, you want your Venus to be the same sign or element as their Mars. This ensures that your love and sex languages will be hotly intertwined.