There are accepted matches in the astrology books that make for good romances. But often people in very contented relationships have supposedly mismatched signs. Why is this so?

In theory, only detached Aquarius and intense Scorpio get on with their own kind for completely opposite reasons. Arms-length Aquarius loves tolerant, cool Aquarius; and passionately possessive Scorpio simply must have a mate who understands their deep yearnings.

The truth of the matter is that six other Sun signs are also more likely to marry or commit to someone of their own sign: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Capricorn.

The reason for this is that people are attracted to mates with similar interests, and they each have a real understanding where the other is coming from. Two Aries together will be noisy and competitive but will understand each other’s foibles. Two Taurus’s will be stubborn in arguments but share each other’s need for security and the good life. Two Geminis or two Virgos together will talk non-stop, so they’ll never be short of their greatest love, which is conversation. Two Sagittarius will travel through life egging each other on enthusiastically. Two Capricorns will scale the mountain peaks of professional and social reputation happily, hand in hand.

Other matches that are not supposed to work but in reality do are Taurus and Libra, since both share Venus as a ruler and both like an elegant social life style. You can add Libra, Capricorn and even Cancer into this category since they all like the good life. So any of these matches, while not perhaps matched at a soul level, will enjoy a good life together.

One surprising coupling that stays together for life is Gemini and Taurus -– the Twins quite flighty, and the Bull very rooted. The Taurus half presumably brings the anchoring, and needs to allow Gemini wander at will.

I’ve seen the worst match of all -- Aquarius and Scorpio – stay together through a long marriage without major problems. Admittedly, he is a more emotional Aquarius than the norm and she is a rather battened down Scorpio. The full-blown version of either sign certainly wouldn’t stay together, but signs, just like everything else in life, come in varying shades.

[Ed's Note: Looks like Leo and Pisces managed to stay out of this article; we leave it up to you to decide if that's a good sign or bad!]