Advanced astrological enthusiasts, listen up. If you've been curious about what else you can learn from just your sun and moon sign, look no further than your sun/moon midpoint, a part of your birth chart that an initial reading may have glossed over.
As the name would suggest, your midpoint is located halfway between the sun and the moon on your birth chart. One popular astrological theory holds that the sign that corresponds with your midpoint reveals what you need in a partner, due to the roles the sun and moon respectively play in your chart. For the record: Finding your midpoint calls for a little bit of math (and some advanced knowledge of your birth chart), but it's worth it.
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First, you'll need to have your birth chart drawn up. This shows you where on the Wheel of the Zodiac the sun and the moon happened to be at the moment you were born.
Say, for example, that the sun was in Capricorn and the moon was in Virgo. That gives you a general idea of where they are (for the record, that's as much as you need to know if you're just a casual follower of astrology). In order to be more exact, astrologers measure the celestial bodies' positions in degrees: Each sign consists of 30 degrees on the Wheel, so, beyond simply being in Capricorn and Virgo, the sun may be at 21 degrees in Capricorn, and the moon may be at 4 degrees in Virgo. If you couldn't tell, here's where the math comes in.
Astrologer Annie Heese writes that calculating your midpoint not only requires you to know the degrees of your sun and moon, but their respective signs' "starting degrees," as well. You find these by dividing 360 by 12 — the number of degrees in the Wheel of the Zodiac by the number signs in the Zodiac. So, Aries' starting degree is zero, Taurus' is 30, Gemini's is 60, and so on.
Using our example, Cap's starting degree is 270 and Virgo's is 150. You'll start your calculations by adding your sun and moon's specific degrees to their starting degrees (21 + 270 = 291 and 4 + 150 = 154). Then, you'll add those two values together (291 + 150 = 420), divide that sum in half (420 / 2 = 210), and thus find the degrees of your midpoint. In this case, Scorpio starts at 210 degrees, making the sign of the Scorpion our test case's midpoint sign.
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Now, here's what that actually means.
Your sun sign and moon sign are often portrayed as opposite sides of the same coin: your conscious and subconscious, your head and your heart. The sign that falls between them is interpreted as the middle ground between these opposing forces. It can be instructive as to how you can satisfy both your wants and needs, leading you down a path toward balance and agreement between your sun and moon signs.
Your sun/moon midpoint sign not only acts as a guide toward inner bliss, but one for romantic harmony, too. This is not to say that you should absolutely date someone who was born under the sign that lines up with your midpoint. Rather, after you learn about the qualities of that sign and how they can empower you to reconcile your sun and moon sign's differences, you'll have a better idea of what you need to make yourself happy — and having a clear idea of what you want counts for a lot in the dating world.
To go back to our example one more time, having your midpoint in Scorpio, between a Cap sun and a Virgo moon, suggests that you are very passionate and place a high value on your past experiences, which you're quick to stand up for if you feel like you're under attack. You love defending those closest to you and would do well with a significant other who can keep up with your intensity and who will appreciate it when you go into caretaker mode.
If you already have a partner (or a potential partner, for that matter), a synastry reading may be in order, which will show you whether there are any meaningful alignments or interactions with your midpoint and their sun or moon signs. A hard aspect here will indicate that your attraction is mutual, and very much endorsed by the stars.
That said, if you'd rather keep your midpoint to yourself — and use it just to reap happiness within yourself — that is totally fine as well. Or, if you zoned out a few paragraphs ago, you can explore your moon sign and sun sign separately, without knowing your midpoint at all. As is so often the case with astrology, how deep you go is up to you.