The Astrology Behind Kourtney & Travis’ Surprise Engagement, Explained

While Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker have apparently been longtime friends, their romantic relationship only went public January 2021, when People reported that the couple had been together for two months. Since then, it’s been a steady stream of hot and heavy PDA, NSFW Instagram posts, swoon-worthy love notes, romantic getaways, and plenty of edgy fashion moments. Oh, and did I mention the tattoo of Kardashian’s name on Barker’s chest? In October 2021, the couple made things even more official by announcing their engagement via Instagram. It’s safe to say that this star-powered duo is fully smitten.

As an astrologer, I was curious about what Kardashian and Barker’s relationship looked like through a cosmic lens. Armed with their exact birth times, dates, and locations, I examined the couple’s combined astrological birth charts using a process called synastry, which shows how their personal planets are interacting with one another. As expected, they have some highly-juicy connections that reflect their piping-hot attraction to one another. But are these fireworks set to last?

Read on for an inside scoop on the astrology of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s relationship and decide for yourself whether this high-profile love story is truly written in the stars.

Let’s Start With Their Sun, Moon, & Rising Signs

Kardashian (born April 18, 1979) is an excitable and impulsive Aries, while Barker (born November 14, 1975) is a dark and mysterious Scorpio. These two zodiac signs aren’t the most compatible, given that Aries is a hot-headed fire sign and Scorpio is an introspective water sign. But they’re both traditionally ruled by Mars (the planet of sex and action), which gives them common ground when it comes to being passionate, driven, and sexually expressive.

But looking at their full sun, moon, and rising sign profiles makes things more meaningful. The moon represents our emotional lives, while our rising signs (aka ascendants) dictate our general personalities. Barker is a Cancer rising, giving him a softer and more nurturing demeanor — but he has a feisty Aries moon that sets off sparks with Kourtney’s Aries sun.

“When two people share the sun and the moon in the same sign, it’s an incredibly strong indicator of astrological compatibility and is common in long-term relationships” astrologer Stephanie Powell of Leona Moon Astrology tells Bustle. “Kourtney is able to bring out Travis’ true self and help him shine brighter, and Travis is appreciative of Kourtney’s identity and offers reassurance on an intuitive level.”

Meanwhile, Kardashian is a Pisces rising — and this dreamy water sign energy aligns beautifully with Barker’s sensitive sun and ascendant (which also happen to be in water signs). She also has a pragmatic Capricorn moon, which falls auspiciously into Barker’s romantic house of relationships. “Kourtney is someone who has the potential to fulfill Travis’ partnership needs and can innately care for and comfort him,” Powell says of this moon placement. The couple has a strong emotional bond that allows Barker to open up and be more vulnerable — a dynamic that’s illustrated by the fact that Scorpios are usually private, but Barker has no problem publicly showing off his sentiments about Kourtney.

Their Venus/Mars Connections Explain All The PDA

Let’s talk about astrology’s resident lovers: Romantic planet Venus and sex planet Mars. Kardashian’s Venus is in Pisces, which forms a perfect trine aspect with both Barker’s ascendant and sun. This makes romance between the pair feel harmonious, easy, and natural. Meanwhile, the couple’s Mars placements connect with each other’s sun and moon — which not only heightens their carnal attraction levels, but also helps them to relate to (and support) each other’s goals. Based on this synastry, we can assume that Kardashian and Barker have no shortage of excitement or lust in their relationship.

But perhaps most powerful of these aspects is the link between Kardashian’s Mars and Barker’s Venus, which form an opposition in their shared chart. This can bring explosive sexual tension and serious sparks to any relationship — and it explains the couple’s propensity for PDA. “It's no surprise these two are head over heels, as their emotional connection is matched with a fierce physical attraction,” Powell says of this Venus/Mars aspect. With a planetary pairing like this, it’s impossible for them to keep their desire for each other hidden behind closed doors.

Travis also has power-hungry planet Pluto sitting alongside Venus in his chart, which adds depth and intensity to the couple’s already-intoxicating affair. “As if a Venus-Mars opposition wasn't hot enough, Pluto's influence makes the connection feel even more karmic and out of this world — and possibly even a little obsessive,” Powell says. Jealousy could arise with an aspect like this one, as both emotional and sexual connections can get intimate very quickly. While their feelings may seem extreme to the people around them, this kind of love is special in that it can be transformative.

Kravis’ Engagement Was Written In The Stars

After months of marriage rumors, Kardashian and Barker officially announced their engagement in a roses-and-hearts-filled Instagram post on Oct. 17, 2021. Astrologically, it was a powerful time for the couple to put a ring on it. During their engagement weekend, love planet Venus was forming a lucky connection Barker’s moon and perfectly aligning with his natal Neptune (planet of spirituality), which heightened the potential for romance and allowed him to experience the relationship in a more transcendental and dreamy way. And on the day the engagement was announced, the moon aligned with Kardashian’s natal Venus, shining a spotlight on her romantic values, emotional connections, and deepest feelings.

Both the sun and Mars were in partnerships-oriented Libra at the time of the couple’s engagement, activating Barker’s sensitive fourth house — which gave him the passion and motivation to create some deep emotional security and get more domestic in his partnerships. Meanwhile, these planets lit up Kourtney’s intimate eighth house, asking her to go beneath the surface of her relationship and make commitments based on truth.

Wedding bells are on the horizon, and the couple’s astrology shows potential for longevity. The asteroid Juno represents true love and marriage, while Saturn is the planet of commitment and responsibility — and Kardashian and Barker have a powerful conjunction aspect between these celestial bodies in their combined charts. “With Travis’ Juno exactly next to Kourtney’s Saturn, there is an understanding between these two about building a life and future together,” Powell says. “They aren't afraid to put in the hard work required to stand the test of time.” There’s an inherent trust and dedication between them that’s indicative of a stable and potentially long-lasting partnership.

Sparks Are Flying — But Will Their Love Last?

Kardashian and Barker’s relationship emerged strong from the start, which makes sense given their hard-to-resist Venus/Mars connections. But both Kardashian and Barker have some significant transits hitting their birth charts in 2022 that could catalyze major life changes and relationship shifts, too. Let’s start with Kardashian: “Next year, Jupiter will move into Kourtney's first house of self and activate her relationship axis,” Powell says. “When this happens, typically we see blessings and expansion in this area of life — a wedding, perhaps?” Jupiter is the planet of good luck, growth, and abundance, so a lavish Kardashian-style wedding doesn’t feel outside the realm of possibility, especially now that the couple is engaged.

As for Barker, he’ll be dealing with the Nodes of Fate, which relate to matters of destiny, karma, and life path alignment. “Travis will be going through his nodal opposition next year, which only occurs every 18.5 years,” Powell says. “This period of time usually ushers in fated events and solidifies karmic connections.” This might bring some direction-shifting events for Barker that could put their relationship to the test and set him off on a new path. However, if their bond is meant to be, these astrological growth spurts could ultimately help the pair get closer.

While Kardashian and Barker’s moon zodiac signs make some lovingly lucky chart connections, there may still be some big challenges for the couple to overcome as they get closer — as their moons form an exact square aspect to one another. This tense alignment indicates conflict when it comes to dealing with their pasts or navigating their home lives together. Sensitivities could easily come up around family matters or previous relationships, so it’s extra important for them to build trust and have meaningful alone time together.

The Verdict

Overall, the astrology between Kardashian and Barker is hot, hot, hot. With so much Venus and Mars synastry, their bond appears to be just as sexy and passionate as it is sweet and romantic — and their other planetary connections show a deeper emotional bond that’ll serve as a solid foundation for their engagement, even if the honeymoon high begins to wane. While the couple may have to navigate some private challenges as they get closer and more vulnerable with one another, they have the kind of cosmic chemistry that could help them survive a struggle. That said, the year ahead will bring some relationship-defining changes to both parties, so if their fate is written is the stars, next year’s astrology could potentially seal the deal.