Denise Richards was born with her Sun in the coolest sign, Aquarius, and her Moon in one of the hottest, Scorpio. She's a complex individual who has both an Aquarian need to be herself and a Scorpionic desire to fuse with a partner.

Denise Richards is an interesting mix of cool and hot. She's an Aquarius, born February 17, 1971 in Downers Grove, Illinois. This wintry air sign is the most intellectual of the zodiac. While not all Aquarians are geniuses, the instinct for viewing the world through well-constructed theories is common to most of them. The coolness of Aquarius comes from the detachment required to see life's big picture, as if they have to stand back to have a wide enough view for their high-powered brains. This sign is known as friendly, too, as there's often an open, easy way about them. But behind the outgoing and often positive attitude lies an icy interior that rejects the dark dampness of emotion. Of course Aquarians feel, but they often try to control those feelings with principles, concepts and ideas. Denise is no Nobel Prize winner -- marrying Charlie Sheen should disqualify anyone from consideration for the honor -- but with her Sun and Mercury in this sign, she's clearly no dim bulb. Denise has clearly earned more fame through her appearance than her intellect. She's a passable actress, but has yet to demonstrate enough dramatic skills to set her apart from the pack. She is gorgeous, though, a pinup type with big eyes and curves that make heads turn. But there's something else, a quiet passion, a sexual force that makes her more than another pretty face. It's her Moon, the planet of emotion, the Earth's satellite that is the astrological container of feelings.

Denise was born with the Moon in Scorpio, a fixed water sign rich in passion and filled with subtle intensity. The emotional depth of her Moon is in stark contrast to the mental breadth of her Aquarius Sun. She's a complex woman who is likely to readily shift from hot to cold and back again. Scorpio, when it's interested, is fully engaged, devouring, hungry, lusty, jealous and rich with desire. No lunar placement has stronger feelings, although Scorpio's need for control can hide them when necessary. While getting in close and fusing with another is its goal, Aquarius is just the opposite. Being friendly and open to the world, it's more of a "look" than "touch" sign. Denise also has Venus, the love planet, in disciplined Capricorn. She may have taken up with her girlfriend's husband, but who can blame a Scorpio Moon when they're taken by desire? Denise's Venus in Capricorn is in a tense 90-degree square with rebellious Uranus. Impulses take over, and even the best behaved among us can lose their heads, hearts and everything else to love. The bottom line is that hot or cold, loyal or lusty, Denise is a person of extremes. She may have wide swings that don't show up in the tabloids every day, but that do lead to dramatic moves every few years. It may not be easy for her, of course, but it sure makes her interesting.

About the Author
Jeff Jawer is the co-author of Barnes & Noble's 'Your Astrology Guide 2007.' A professional astrologer since 1973, his articles have appeared in astrology journals and magazines and Web sites around the world. He holds a B.A. in The History and Science of Astrology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and teaches and lectures both in the United States and abroad.