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Ask the Astro Poets: What Do I Do If I Fall in Love With an Incompatible Sign?

Twitter’s favorite astrologers weigh in on which relationships are worth pursuing—and which ones maybe aren’t.


Stefano + Domenico's Dolce Vita by Steven Klein
Steven Klein

Ask the Astro Poets is the monthly advice column by W‘s resident astrologers, Alex Dimitrov (Sagittarius) and Dorothea Lasky (Aries). At the halfway point of every month, they take a breather from writing poetry and horoscopes, and take your questions about love, career, even the big existential questions in life. From matchmaking and compatibility, to friendship, professional, and dating advice, the poets of the stars are here to guide you through any challenge:

Dear Astro Poets,

I’m a Scorpio who’s been in love with an Aquarius for two years (we’re both guys). I know he’s the one for me, but all we do is clash. It’s been said that a Scorpio and an Aquarius aren’t really compatible, but I don’t want that to get in the way. Could you help and tell me if this match can work, and if compatibility is everything?

A Persistent Scorpio

Celebrity Aquarius Season With Oprah and Laura Dern

Alicia Keys, born January 25th. Photo by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Photographer: Mario Sorrenti Stylist: Alex White

Laura Dern, born February 10th. Photo by Juergen Teller for W Magazine.

Photograph by Juergen Teller; Creative Partner to Juergen Teller: Dovile Drizyte; Styled by Sara Moonves. Hair by Malcolm Edwards at LGA Management; Makeup by Sam Bryant at Bryant Artists; Manicure by Michelle Saunders.

Jennifer Aniston, born February 11th. Photo by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

Evan Peters, born January 20th. Photo by Alasdair McClellan for W Magazine.

Alasdair McLellan

Oprah Winfrey, born January 29th. Photo by Juergen Teller for W Magazine.

Juergen Teller

Paris Hilton, born February 17th. Photo by Mayan Toledano For W Magazine.

Yara Shahidi, born February 10th. Photo by Alex Hodor Lee for W Magazine.

Ellen Degeneres, born January 26th, and Portia De Rossi, born January 31st. Photo by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

Thompson Michael

Tom Hiddleston, born February 9th. Photo by Mona Kuhn for W Magazine.

MONA KUHN

Eiza Gonzalez, born January 30th. Photo by Bruno Staub for W Magazine.

BRUNO STAUB

Kerry Washington, born January 31st. Photo by Juergen Teller for W Magazine.

Teller Juergen

Ashton Kutcher, born February 7th. Photo by Pari Dukovic for W Magazine.

Emma Roberts, born February 10th. Photo by Inez and Vinoodh for W Magazine.

Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

Elizabeth Olsen, born February 16th. Photo by Alex Prager for W magazine.

Justin Timberlake, born January 31st. Photo by Platon Antoniou for W Magazine.

Platon Antoniou

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, born February 17th. Photo by Juergen Teller for W Magazine.

Benicio del Toro, born February 19th. Photo by Peter Lindbergh for W Magazine.

Chloë Grace Moretz, born February 10th. Photo by Rineke Dijkstra for W Magazine.

Michael B. Jordan, born February 9th. Photo by Tim Walker for W Magazine.

Christina Ricci, born February 12th. Photo by Mert and Marcus for W Magazine.

1/20

Dear Persistent Scorpio,

At first glance, Scorpio and Aquarius is indeed a challenging match. They’re both fixed signs—guardians, stubborn, and determined to fight for what they want—but in other ways, they’re very different. Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, that strange blue planet that has everything to do with vision, revolutionary possibilities, and the freedom to pursue them. Aquarians are an emblem of free thought and independence. As a Sagittarius, they’ve always been very inspiring to me. I totally get why you’re into this Aquarius. (I also dated one, but just for a summer—it would have been longer if fire signs don’t get bored so easily).

Meanwhile, Scorpio is ruled by Pluto—though we should remember that Pluto’s status as a planet has been revoked, which of course now makes it a gay icon. Pluto is also the god of the underworld, and as an astronomical body, it has everything to do with transformation, the subconscious, and revealing what’s underneath. What I mean to say is that Scorpios seek truth, and they’re not afraid of moving through dark energy to get to love.

So how does this apply to you and your Aquarius? Well, it makes sense that you two would constantly “clash,” as you say. Intellectually, this is a dynamic pairing because neither sign is interested in easy answers or socially prescribed norms. It will never get boring to go out to dinner together, nor endlessly talk over your morning coffee. The problem is that you won’t always agree on a worldview, life view, or really just about anything else. The sex, however, will be hot. It’s like the wind meeting the sea. You’re going to get a good storm. I always think of Scorpios as the deepest and most mysterious water. They’re charged with so much intensity, which they’re not afraid of showing, and Aquarians are also full of intensity, although it’s rarely on the surface or easily expressed. My advice would be to give your Aquarius as much freedom as he needs. Don’t constantly check up on him; let him pursue his friendships and weird obsessions in peace. This is hard for Scorpios because, let’s face it, you guys are very sexy stalkers. You’re ready to remind the person whom you’re in love with that you’re in love with them at all times, and you want to know everything about them emotionally. This is why Scorpios are also so invested in their lovers’ past romances, which can become a problem. For an Aquarius starting to date a Scorpio, claustrophobia can be real. And since they’re not especially communicative, and also quite cerebral, you won’t always know that your Aquarius is feeling that way until they lash out.

I’m actually one of those people that loves a challenging match. I don’t believe that it can’t lead to love or something meaningful. For me, that summer-long Aquarius whom I mentioned earlier was that challenging match. I wouldn’t say he’d disappear on me, but when we weren’t constantly texting or talking, I got the sense that he was in his own world and that he didn’t necessarily want to invite me there all the way. Aquarians really do need space where they can weird out. Scorpios are perfectly fine being crazy in front of their lovers, but that’s just not everyone. So have faith in this guy, as you do. Because I also know that when a Scorpio zeroes in on a person who they really want, they’re not only in it forever, but all of the playing games, having many lovers, going silent, and all those other things we tend to associate with them fall away. You’ve got this.

Your Sagittarius,

Alex

Spring Into Aries Season With Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, and Kristen Stewart

Reese Witherspoon, born March 22nd, photographed by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

Diana Ross, born March 26th, photographed for W Magazine.

Pharrell Williams, born April 5th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Lady Gaga, born March 28th, photographed by Katherine Wolkoff for W Magazine.

Celine Dion, born March 30th, photographed by Martien Mulder for W Magazine.

Keira Knightley, born March 26th, photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine.

Model Paloma Elsesser, born April 12th, photographed by Alex Hodor-Lee for W Magazine.

Patricia Arquette, born April 8th, photographed by Alex Prager for W Magazine.

Sarah Jessica Parker, born March 25th, photographed by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

Michael Fassbender, born April 2nd, photographed by Jeff Burton for W Magazine.

Elle Fanning, born April 9th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Actor Paul Rudd, born April 6th, photographed by Andreas Laszlo Konrath for W Magazine.

Kristen Stewart, born April 9th, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for W Magazine.

Ewan McGregor, born March 31st, photographed by Dan Winters for W Magazine.

Saoirse Ronan, born April 12th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Adrien Brody, born April 14th, photographed by Tierney Gearon for W Magazine.

Emma Thompson, born April 15th, photographed by Juergen Teller for W Magazine.

Victoria Beckham, born April 17th, photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine.

Mariah Carey, born March 27th, photographed by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

Jessica Chastain, born March 24th, photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine.

David Oyelowo, born April 1st, photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine.

Claire Danes, born April 12th, photographed by Inez & Vinoodh for W Magazine.

Rooney Mara, born April 17th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, born April 18th, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for W Magazine.

Robert Downey Jr., born April 4th, photographed by Ari Marcopoulos for W Magazine.

Kate Hudson, born April 19th, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for W Magazine.

Emma Watson, born April 15th, photographed by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

Luke Evans, born April 15th, photographed by Mert and Marcus for W Magazine.

Jennifer Garner, born April 17th, photographed by Craig McDean for W Magazine.

America Ferrera, born April 18th, photographed by Michael Thompson for W Magazine.

1/30

Dear Astro Poets,

I’m a Gemini sun with an Aries moon and Aquarius rising. I’m very much in love with a Libra (Sagittarius moon Aquarius rising). I’m happy, but I’m worried that I’m restaging a doomed familial relationship. My father is a Gemini sun (Aries moon and Virgo rising). My whole life I’ve felt almost karmically tied to him—obviously because he’s my father, but also because of the stars. We’ve also shared true love of a Libra, which for him was my (Leo moon, Aries rising), but that ended some time ago.

I’ve realized that many things I find attractive in my Libra boyfriend are things that my father found attractive in my Libra mother, like her rationality and even her temper. On the other side of the coin, both my boyfriend and my mother have that particular Libra style of emotional unavailability, which at time makes both of them feel not just distant, but unreachable. I don’t foresee my boyfriend and I breaking up any time soon, but this mirroring of my parents’ relationship makes me question our relationship. I wonder if we are fated for dissolution, disillusion, and discontent in the same way my parents seem to have been. So, Astro Poets, should I break up with my Libra before things go south? Tell me what to do.

Signed,

A Highly Reflective Gemini

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Let’s start with one that may already be in the works. If some very suspect social media flirting is to be believed, Jenny Slate and Chris Evans may have already gotten back together following their split earlier this year.

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Listen, we know Drake still pines over Rihanna. It is time for the bad gal to settle down and welcome him into her life with open arms.

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Jennifer Lawrence broke it off with director boyfriend Darren Aronofsky just before Thanksgiving, so now is the perfect time to reconnect with ex-boyfriend Nicholas Hoult. Their cinematic collaboration in the X-Men films was better received than mother!, at least.

Dave M. Benett

Robert Pattinson’s most notorious relationship may have been with Kristen Stewart, but by far his coolest was with FKA Twigs. The two need to reconcile if only for the future R.Patz-starring indie film, soundtracked by Twigs.

FilmMagic

Cara Delevingne may still be credited with background vocals on St. Vincent’s latest album, but surely there is still plenty of collaborations to be had between them, especially if Delevingne wants to expand her model-actress title into a true triple threat.

David M. Benett

Earlier this year, Nicole Kidman revealed that years ago she and Lenny Kravitz, father of her Big Little Lies co-star Zoe Kravitz, had once been engaged. This needs to become a reality, if only for the real-life Celeste-Bonnie mother-daughter fan fiction. (No offense to Keith Urban.)

Rick Diamond/Getty Images

At least year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, Madonna offered to remarry Sean Penn for $150,000, which would go to her charity Raising Malawi, if he bid that amount on a necklace up for grabs. Penn didn’t bite, but maybe it is time to pitch in to a Kickstarter for the cause. Hey, it’s for charity.

Tom Green and Drew Barrymore were the lovable, goofy couple of the early Aughts—a fun-loving, drama-free pair that the would could certainly use these days.

Ron Galella, Ltd.

Emo is back in style, and there is no greater poster child of true, angsty love than Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson. Simpson may be enjoying her new status as Diana Ross’s daughter-in-law, but can Evan Ross really pen a love lyric quite like Fall Out Boy?

Patrick McMullan

Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady may be the golden couple of the NFL, but back in the day, Gisele was meant to be with another golden boy: Leonardo Dicaprio. Just imagine how much more stylish environmental conventions would be with Bündchen around.

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Justin TImberlake may be happily married to Jessica Biel, and Britney Spears happily invested in her new career as a painter, but truly, there was no greater couple at the turn of the Millennium than these two. Justin, bring the romance back. And ‘Nsync, while you’re at it.

Ron Galella, Ltd.
1/11

Dear Highly Reflective Gemini,

Thank you for your question, which is endlessly fascinating—though of course I’d expect no less from a thoughtful Gemini such as yourself! Your question itself demonstrates what I love so much about your sign, which is that Geminis get something about life that most people don’t. Most signs don’t notice patterns in life intricately or at all, but Geminis notice the repetition of tropes and archetypes in all of our lives—an attentiveness to mirroring that, for example, makes Geminis so good at math and music. For Geminis, everything in life is a bit of a game. Not because you see things as superficially playful, but because you realize that life is a series of lessons, and that hopefully by the end of it, you’ve gotten some things right. I just love seeing how Geminis think, so thank you for letting us into your thought process a bit with your question.

Now that I have gotten that part out of the way, I must say that part of me wants to blurt out that you should just forget all of this thinking and relax and enjoy your relationship. You’re right to notice that there’s probably a reflection of your parents’ connection in your own dynamic with your boyfriend. It’s true that we learn how to love from what we see from our parents. But also, you’re a Gemini; these feelings about a Libra are classic. Distant and unreachable? Exceedingly rational and even hot-tempered? Yeah, that’s check and check in almost every case with any Libra. It’s your mother and your boyfriend, but it will be like that with almost every other Libra you meet. And you will love it. LOVE. IT. EVERY. DAMN. TIME.

It’s Gemini Season for Angelina Jolie, the Olsen Twins, and (Yes) Kanye West

Naomi Campbell, born May 22nd, photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine.

Steven Klein

Natalie Portman, born June 9th, photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine.

Steven Klein

Carey Mulligan, born May 28th, photographed by Alasdair McLellan for W Magazine.

Alasdair McLellan

Helena Bonham Carter, born May 26th, photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for W Magazine.

Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

Angelina Jolie, born June 4th, photographed by Steven Klein for W Magazine.

Steven Klein

Kanye West, born June 8th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Mario Sorrenti

Nicole Kidman, born June 20th, photographed by Tim Walker for W Magazine.

Tim Walker

Mary-Kate Olsen, born June 13th, photographed by David Sims for W Magazine.

David Sims

Adriana Lima, born June 12th, photographed by Charlotte Wales for W Magazine.

Charlotte Wales

Annette Bening, born May 29th, photographed by Craig McDean for W Magazine.

Craig McDean

Octavia Spencer, born May 25th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W magazine.

Mario Sorrenti

Julianna Margulies, born June 8th, photographed by Nathanial Goldberg for W Magazine.

Nathanial Goldberg

Kate Upton, born June 10th, photographed by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott for W Magazine.

Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott

Chris Evans, born June 13th, photographed by Mario Sorrenti for W Magazine.

Mario Sorrenti

Kat Dennings, born June 13th, photographed by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for W Magazine.

Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
1/15

Gemini and Libra is a match of soul mates, and since you’re happy, as a simple Aries, I’ll say this: Just be okay with being happy. I’m not sure what happened in your parents’ case, but I see that everyone in this scenario has fire moons, and I’m sorry to say that something can always go wrong when that’s at play. Also, things end, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t worth happening. You could easily stay with your Libra for the rest of your life. And so, until he gives you a reason to go, I say stay. My parents were Libra-Gemini and nothing could have broken them up. Just look at Gwen and Blake. Linda and Paul. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey—wait, let me quit while I’m ahead.

I hope you can go on lots of adventures with your sweet Libra this summer.

Love from a Not Reflective Aries,

Dorothea

Related: Ask the Astro Poets: Are Aries Capable of Having Casual Hook Ups?