How To Read A Synastry Chart
Our Guide To Understanding Synastry Charts
Synastry Charts form a key-part of understanding energetically and astrologically what is happening between 2 people.
But what are they?
Well here we break down the basics of what a synastry chart entails and why they look like they do.
Including the layers of a birth chart that add to their complexity.
Let’s take a look at Synastry Charts.
How To Do A Synastry Chart
How To Do A Synastry Chart
So you know someone you like, and you want to get a low down on whether you would work out together. You’ve already read their daily horoscope, but really, it means nothing and you want to know more.
You want to know the relationship astrology of 2 people. And even though there is not really anything like a relationship horoscope, this will give you a lot of inside into the relationship between 2 peoples charts.
Note: If you are not sure what a birth chart is or how to read birth charts, please read the following articles first.
Okay, now let us take an in-depth look at how to make and analyse a synastry chart.
To do a synastry chart
Before you begin this exercise, you need a synastry chart (aka Birth Horoscope, Natal Chart, or Natal Horoscope) of 2 people.
For both people:
- You will need to know your date of birth
- You will need to know the place of birth
- And you’ll need to know the birth time. (the exact moment if possible)
Note: Verify the accuracy of the birth data. This includes the name, the birthplace, the birth date and the birth time.
If you don’t have a chart, you can create one for free online at Astrodienst.
Birth Chart Calculator
If you do not want to use the birth chart calculator from Astrodienst, you can use our own Birth Chart Calculator which will calculate all of your other planets as well.
How to do a synastry chart
Okay, before we can read a synastry chart, we need to create one.
For the purposes of this article, we are going to continue to use the birth data of famous couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Firstly head on over to https://www.astro.com
Then head over to Extended Chart Selection
Here, you fill in all of the required information.
Note: If you do not know your time of birth, simply put 12 [am].
However, your chart will not be accurate if you do not have an exact times of birth for both people.
The boxes below can be changed (depended on the type of chart and information you want, but for now, we’ll leave these settings as they are.
However, we have checked the boxes for Descending Node and to Chiron in the Display and calculation options.
Then scroll to the bottom and make sure Chiron is selected.
Add more additional objects if you want.
After that, simply click the button to show the chart.
And there you go.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Synastry Chart.
At the bottom of the chart (supplied with Astro.com, but not with all birth chart calculators), there is a table of information.
This table simply help interpret the information that is in the chart above.
These tables display the following;
- Planetary Listings and their signs.
- The blue column is Brad Pitt. The Red column is Angelina Jolie.
- 6 Houses of Brad Pitt (because his name was shown first)
- On the outside of the table on the bottom is the AC and MC information of Angelina Jolie
How To Read A Synastry Chart
How to read your synastry chart
Luckily with most online natal chart generation software, most of them come with some brief explanations that help us to understand the points and basics.
For the sake of this article, we’re going to break down the steps that you should take to get a basic understanding of a synastry chart.
I generally like to break down the information of birth chart analysis as follows:
- Planets = The Thing (Soul, emotions etc)
- Sign = The style in which ‘the thing’ manifests itself
- House = The stage and direction (focus) that ‘the thing’ plays out.
Another way might be;
- Planets = Experiences Of Life
- Sign = Characteristics Of Life
- House = Areas Of Life
For example (in Brad Pitt’s case), The Sun in (the style of) Sagittarius in the first house.
In general birth chart analysis, whether synastry or not, we want to start with the most foundational elements first.
In other words, the most foundational elements of the personalities and overall life experiences.
Locate The Planets
Planets will be scattered throughout the chart, represented by different symbols.
The Symbols
- The Sun is represented by a circle with a dot in the centre.
- The Moon is a small half-crescent moon shape.
- Mercury is the male symbol, but with two small lines jutting out of the top circle, like little horns.
- Venus is the symbol for female.
- Mars is the symbol for male.
- Jupiter is the symbol that looks a little like number 4.
- Saturn is the symbol that looks like the number 5 or the letter h.
- Uranus looks something like an upside-down female symbol with four lines on either side, two on each side, that curve outward in opposing directions.
- Neptune looks like an upside down cross with two lines on either side, arching upwards. Like a pitchfork or a trident.
- Pluto is a kind of combination of Neptune and Uranus. It’s a female symbol facing upward, with two lines on either side that loop upward. The modern symbol looks like the letters P and L combined.
The Planet Meanings
The inner planets include The Sun and The Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars.
- The Sun represents a person’s fundamental identity, ego and purpose.
- The Moon represents how a person reacts and reflects on the events experienced in life.
- Mercury is your ability to relate to and perceive individuals and objects.
- Venus illustrated what you’re comfortable with and what you enjoy.
- Mars represents your will and your actions.
The outer planets include Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
They point to different aspects of your personality than the inner planets.
- Jupiter represents how you integrate yourself into society as well as your personal growth.
- Saturn represents your responsibilities as well as personal rules you develop for yourself over time.
- Uranus represents your ability to learn and grow.
- Neptune points to your imagination, dreams and ideals.
- Pluto represents your capacity for change and inner growth, pointing to intense, deep and personal types of change.
Locate The Signs
Well, now you know the planets, let’s look at the signs.
Once you know the symbols, you look to the signs around the outside to see which signs the planets fall between.
The signs are as follows:
- Aries
- Taurus
- Gemini
- Cancer
- Leo
- Virgo
- Libra
- Scorpio
- Sagittarius
- Capricorn
- Aquarius
- Pisces
Of course, the signs that the sun and moon sign and the planets align with having a significant impact on who you are, too.
A well-made chart can tell you “about you, your family, the life that you were born into, and what your soul is looking to heal and/or achieve in this lifetime,
Synastry Chart Interpretation:
How to understand your Synastry Chart
Look At The Synastry Chart
Okay, back to Brad Pitt’s chart below.
Below is am image, showing the markers of the planets positions on the chart.
We’ve highlighted Brad’s Pluto and Uranus.
The little blue markers have been highlighted in 3 places.
- The outer ring shows the sign in which these 3 places are showing up in. (Virgo)
- Adjacent to Angelina’s outer chart wheel.
- Inside Brads wheel and adjacent to the aspects that those 2 planets form with Angelina’s planets.
So to summarise what we see in the above wheel, we have
- Brad’s Pluto and Uranus, are both conjunct in his ninth house in Virgo.
- However, both of those planets are in Angelina’s second house
Brad And Angelina Conjunctions
Below is another example, but this time with both persons planets being involved.
The image shows the following:
- Angelina’s Mars, Moon and Jupiter are all in her 9th house in Aries.
- You could argue that Angelina’s Jupiter is in her 10th as it is conjunct her MC line.
- Brads Jupiter is conjunct her Mars, Moon, and just within orb of her Jupiter as well.
- Brads Jupiter is in his 4th house, but in her 9th house.
You can see looking at the chart above that Brad’s Mercury, Venus and Mars are also in Capricorn and also in 2nd House.
However those planets all fall within her 6th house.
Birth Chart Interpretation
Examining The Aspects.
Okay, let us get up Brad and Angelina’s chart again.
Now that we have looked at HOW to look up the information in a birth chart, we have a bit more information to investigate.
So, a summary of Brad Pitt’s Chart.
We can see from looking at the major aspects here the following information:
- 4 Oppositions
- 12 squares (possible up to 20 – depending on orbs)
- 2 sextiles
- 4 trines
Just by examining that information alone, without looking at the planets involved, you can see a lot of tension in there.
Obviously, tension can be good and bad. All those squares and opposites can be powerful transformation challenges.
They can also just be a pain to deal with.
Brad’s Aspects With Angelina:
Sun:
- Sun opposite Mercury
- Sun sextile Uranus
- Sun trine chiron
Angelina’s Aspects With Brad
Sun:
- Sun square Uranus
- Sun square Pluto
- Sun square Chiro
Next, you would simply work through the list until you have all of the aspects listed.
At this point, you can beginning looking at which aspects are challenging and which aspects are not.
If the planets involved in the aspects are beneficial or a hinderance.