You’ve likely known people in your life who were the same zodiac sign as you, and yet the two of you couldn’t have been more different.

　　Or maybe you met someone with the same birthday, and it was like you were from Venus and they were from Pluto. Or better yet, you’ve known twins (or are one), yet your personalities aren’t very twin-like.

　　What gives?

　　You’ve probably come to learn with astrology that things aren’t very simple. Not only does every zodiac sign in astrology have multiple ways of expressing itself, but so does every position. Every single position!

　　And you’re not going to show in your personality and life every single expression of every single position that could be. That’s just not possible.

　　So, let’s break this down further by going into how you can be so different from someone with the same sign, same birthday, or who is your twin.

　　

You Have the Same Sign

Having the same sign means you were both born under the same Sun sign. But that doesn’t mean you were born with anything else the same! A natal chart provides a snapshot of the locations in the zodiac of the planets, houses, and other bodies at the moment you were born. There are thousands of other possible positions in a natal chart, so having the same Sun sign only means you have the same Sun sign.

　　What about Moon sign? Rising sign? What house is your Sun located in? Is your Sun conjunct any planets? These are just a few of the ways that your natal chart can be different from theirs, and explain how you’re so very different.

　　In the natal chart, the Sun represents your inner self, your true personality, so finding someone who has the same Sun sign can be helpful with compatibility, and many of us do have same sign relationships. It just doesn’t mean you’ll be the same person. It only means you have some basic understanding of one another’s true self.

　　We also tend to be more outward with the expressions of other positions in the natal chart, namely with the Rising sign, planets in the 1st house (which rules the self), Mercury sign, and Moon sign. Your Rising sign shows your outer self, so it’s usually how you come across, and unless your Sun is located in the 1st house, you’re usually going to come across differently from how you really are.

　　Your Mercury sign shows your communication style, and while it’s often in the same sign as your Sun (the Sun and Mercury travel close together through the zodiac), it’s usually not in the exact same position.

　　Your Moon sign shows how you express yourself emotionally, and is the sign people see when you are emotional. These signs tend to take over our external selves at various points, while the Sun sign tends to be what we show with people we know best.

　　

You Have the Same Birthday

Having the same birthday means your Suns are at about the same position, but as with being born in the same sign, that’s all it is. If you have the same birthday in a different year, then everything else in your natal charts can be different.

　　Same birthday relationships can be stronger than same-sign relationships though. This is because your Suns are at the same position in the zodiac, so you’re both operating at the same exact point when it comes to your natal Sun.

　　If you have the actual same birth date, born on the same day in the same year, then you’ll likely have positions that are remarkably similar in your natal charts when it comes to where the planets are located in the zodiac.

　　Houses in the natal chart depend on your time of birth and the location you were born at, so unless you were born at the same time and in the same place, your houses will be different. Having different houses can totally skew the way your planets operate by placing them in totally different houses. An Aries Sun in the 3rd house will be very different from an Aries Sun in the 12th house!

　　

Being a Twin

This brings us to being a twin. As just described, you need to be born on the same day and year, in the same location, and at the same time to have exactly the same natal chart. That last part is what can make the charts of twins pretty different since it’s not possible for twins to be born at the same time! The further apart in time they are, the more their houses will change.

　　There are 12 houses in a natal chart, each representing different parts of our lives and personalities, and each having their own variety of expressions. The houses move through the zodiac super fast, with all 12 houses moving through all 12 signs in just one day, so each house only spends about 2 hours each day in one sign.

　　Even if you’re born just a few minutes apart, that means that your houses will be different. It may be slight, but that counts! Even if they’re all in the same signs, they won’t be at the same point in those signs.

　　That can make a difference when it comes to the exact position of a planet being in one house or another, and whether a house will be at certain challenging positions in the zodiac or not. And if you’re born on a day where a planet changes signs, you may even be twins with different zodiac signs!

　　So in reality, the only way for two people to have the same exact chart is for them to be born on the same date, in the same place, and at the same exact time. I’ve done thousands of astrology readings, and never come across that!

　　But let’s say that does happen. You’re the rare exception who finds someone born on the same date, in the same place, and at the same exact time. And you’re still so different! That brings us back to the very first point, which is that every position in astrology has multiple ways of expressing itself, and you’re not going to express all of them, just some.

　　Which ones will you express? Why those and not others? Since it’s not possible for you to be twins, you likely will have different families, go to different schools, have different friends, and be exposed to completely different experiences. This is what guides what exactly you’re going to express.

　　This can help explain the differences between twins who are born just a few minutes apart as well. While twins will have the same family, they often won’t be treated the same way. They may be in different classes, have different friends, and also have different experiences which shape the way they express their natal charts.

　　

Conclusion

So now you know why being the same sign, having the same birthday, or being twins doesn’t mean you’re astrological clones! Just as life has a variety of possibilities, so does the natal chart.

　　Natal charts are as unique as we are. They’re the blueprint to our personalities and lives, so why shouldn’t they be?

　　Related Article: The Ultimate Guide to Birth Charts