On a recent first date, the guy I was out with happened to mention his birthday. My heart dipped a little bit as I did some mental calculations: a Libra, sigh. So, I took the only logical recourse and calmly excused myself to the restroom, where I proceeded to climb out the window, permanently block his number, and get on with my life. I kid, I kid. I stayed, had a great time, and we have a second date lined up.
That said, I’m still superstitious about dates with Libras. As a Pisces, Libras are not the most compatible sign for me. Maybe it’s not of paramount importance, but it’s also not not of importance. In fact, astrological compatibility has become such a thing that dating app Bumble added a feature for users to include their sign in their profiles. Bumble’s sociologist Jess Carbino, PhD, says this trend has to do with young people choosing to identify less with religion and more with spirituality and astrology. So, duh, makes sense that we’d be interested in dating for compatibility, according to the universe’s POV.
So, back to me: Is there any hope at all for a Pisces and a Libra? And what about all the other sign combos that haven’t earned that zodiac seal of approval? Since my many credentials (okay, I just have a degree in English lit) don’t extend to this subject matter, I turned to Juliana McCarthy, astrologer and author of The Stars Within You, to break it down (and hopefully not, you know, break it up).
Here’s what to do if you and your date aren’t technically zodiac-compatible.
First up, which signs are most compatible?
“Astrologers often say that the remedy for any sign’s neurosis is the enlightened qualities of the opposite sign,” McCarthy says. “Earth signs can provide balance, pragmatism, and grounded-ness to water signs, while water signs can provide fluidity, spirituality, and emotional depth to earth signs. Air signs can fuel fire signs with brilliant ideas and intellectual stimulation, while fire signs help bring air signs’ mental energy into action.”
She explains that traditionally, water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) and earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) go together because water nourishes earth. Air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) and fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) go together because air feeds fire. “Also, signs that are in the same element (earth, water, air, or fire) form the most harmonious angles to each other, called ‘trines,’ which are 120 degrees apart,” she explains.
And who isn’t compatible?
McCarthy says opposing signs on the chart don’t necessarily spell out incompatibility—but this situation doesn’t always make for the smoothest relationship. That said, “in terms of least compatible signs, fire scorches earth, and earth and air have trouble blending,” she says. But keep in mind that these pieces of intel are only paying attention to your sun sign, which is hardly the only aspect of your zodiac profile worth noting. Opposites work if other parts of your zodiac chart flow. “For example, if your suns are opposite but your moons flow, this could be a very good match,” she says. (More on that in a moment.)
Oppositions in the zodiac:
Aries-Libra
Taurus-Scorpio
Gemini-Sagittarius
Cancer-Capricorn
Leo-Aquarius
Virgo-Pisces
Is there any hope for star-crossed lovers?
Of course there is hope, because a zodiac sign doesn’t paint the entire picture of who a person is. And also your sun sign only tells part of your zodiac compatibility. “Sun-moon compatibility between two people is often more significant than sun-sun connections,” McCarthy says. That’s because your sun sign is your basic day-to-day personality, and your moon sign refers to your emotions. (Run a full natal-chart report here for all the details.) So, basically, if you want to know if you and your date are truly compatible, astrologically speaking, check the date, place, and time of their birth to compute their moon sign. (Totally normal first date questions.)
Or, you know, you could just feel it out and see how things go.
Here’s the best healthy-ish cocktail for your zodiac sign (guaranteed compatibility!). And if you find yourself confused by astrology terms like “cusp” and “natal chart,” we put together a handy glossary for you.
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