No matter your take on Valentine’s Day and its lovey-dovey reputation, there’s no denying the romantic vibes in the universe this week. Cosmically, love-centric Venus and passionate Mars are essentially flirting as they move toward a conjunction (aka a meet-up) in Capricorn and then in Aquarius, making the energy intimate, sexy, and ripe for connection. “This is eros manifested in real life—in concrete form,” says astrologer Stefanie Iris Weiss, referencing the Greek god of erotic love. And as several Venus and Mars conjunctions unfold over the next few weeks, that vibe will shift from relationship planning and plotting to a lighter-hearted exploration of pleasure.

In astrology, a conjunction simply refers to two planets aligning within the same sign and at the same degree of that sign. As a result, during that time, the areas over which both planets rule are magnified and play off each other within the lens of the sign they’re occupying. In this case, it’s the love (Venus) and sex (Mars) planets getting it on, with the first Venus and Mars conjunction happening in 16 degrees of Capricorn on February 16, and the second in 0 degrees of Aquarius on March 6. Even so, you can still expect some extra spice in your Valentine’s Day vibe. “This sweet conjunction, luckily, is already heating up as these cosmic consorts have been slow-dancing near each other for a few days now,” Weiss says.

“The meeting of these two planets, especially after a cosmically radical time in Capricorn and Aquarius, can bring stability and initiation in how we want to feel in relationships and in love.” —Corina Crysler, astrologer

In mythology, a Venus and Mars conjunction reflects a sacred union of equal and opposite energies, says astrologer Corina Crysler. “The meeting of these two planets, especially after a cosmically radical time in Capricorn and Aquarius [thanks to multiple retrogrades], can bring stability and initiation in how we want to feel in relationships and in love,” she says.

And that extends to how you physically feel, too. “Mars and Venus understand pleasure,” Chrysler adds. As they join forces, you could feel pushed to reconnect to your body and embody desire, and to uncover new ways to take your relationships—with others, and also with yourself—to the next level of ecstasy, she says.

But exactly how that pans out will depend, in part, on the sign of each upcoming Venus-Mars conjunction in question. Below, astrologers share how the conjunctions in Capricorn and Aquarius may spark different, if equally impactful, effects for your love life.

How the upcoming Venus and Mars conjunctions will highlight romance and pleasure

Conjunction in Capricorn

If Capricorn is known for one thing, it would be work-hard, play-hard vibes. Apply that energy to the worlds of love and romance, and it’s easy to see how this phase of Venus and Mars’ current meet-up is all about getting solid and serious in partnerships. “This could be a time when people decide to move in together or get engaged,” says astrologer Mecca Woods, “particularly given the fact that this planetary pairing also takes place during a passionate full moon in Leo.”

Since you may feel more attuned to the value and integrity of relationships in your life during this time, it’s also very possible that you find motivation to leave a relationship that’s no longer in alignment, says Woods: “The Venus retrograde that we just went through may have opened your eyes about your relationships, for better or for worse.” And as Venus now joins Mars in Capricorn, it’s offering support for taking the next step forward based on that new wisdom.

For folks who are single, seeking a relationship will be a common theme. “Don’t be surprised if you find yourself ready to get back on the dating apps like it’s your job,” says Weiss. That said, you’re bound to be on the lookout for something deep and intimate rather than a light fling. “Mars and Venus going through Capricorn can help us heal old paradigms and discover new kinds of relationships built on equality, support, safety, and loyalty,” says Crysler.

Conjunction in Aquarius

When Venus and Mars come together again in air-sign Aquarius in early March, relationship energy takes a turn for the experimental and creative. While love and sex will still be front and center, Weiss says this time can offer an unusual perspective on both: “It’s almost like we can observe our own behavior or become slightly emotionally detached from it, which is a healthy way to take a break from any obsessiveness.”

This reflective, intellect-driven period may encourage you, whether you’re single or in a relationship, to rethink old relational patterns. “Aquarius wants us to break free from time bonds that hold us in outdated ideologies,” says Crysler. “This will lead us to ask ourselves, ‘What do I really need in relationships?’” And the answer could prove different than you might assume.

Perhaps your focus shifts to love outside of traditional romantic contexts, says Woods. For example, platonic relationships in your life could feel highlighted, she says, “as Venus in Aquarius, in particular, tends to value friendship more than emotionally sapping one-on-one connections.” Or maybe you get more inventive in the bedroom, guiding a partner toward what you desire or reconnecting to your own sexuality, says Crysler. And perhaps that exploration involves new toys, too—Aquarius is the sign of technology, after all, says Weiss.

In any case, it’ll be a time for leaning into new depths of relational and sexual energy. And it won’t end abruptly in March, either. “Although Venus and Mars won’t be at the same degree again for a while after these two exact conjunctions, they’ll be traveling close together through the signs all the way through May,” says Weiss. “And throughout this period, we’ll stay open and ready for dating, mating, and relating of all kinds.”