What comes to mind when I mention the rock band Fleetwood Mac? For many casual listeners, that would be the tumultuous romance between two of the group’s most recognizable alumni: Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. It’s an epic love story that inspired some of the most iconic rock songs of the 20th century — including “Silver Springs,” a haunting ballad that Nicks penned about the dissolution of their relationship. (Maybe you’ve seen that incredible video of Nicks and Buckingham performing it live? If you haven’t, stop whatever you’re doing and watch it right now. Chills guaranteed.)Illustration: Kelly Caminero/HuffPost; Photo: Getty ImagesLindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks' lasting love-hate dynamic is something the internet can't seem to look away from.Last week, Buckingham and Nicks sent Fleetwood Mac fans into a tizzy when they both shared cryptic posts of lyrics from their song “Frozen Love” on Instagram. Turns out, they were teasing a reissue of their 1973 collaborative album ”Buckingham Nicks,” out Sept. 19.As an astrologer, I’m always curious to see what stars have to say about couples who capture the public’s attention. Surprise, surprise: Buckingham and Nicks’ synastry — aka the astrology of their relationship and compatibility — unfolds a tale of an intense (and intensely messy) connection. Keep reading for an astrological overview of why this dynamic duo is like that.It Makes Sense Why They Were Drawn To Each Other, At Least AstrologicallyIn case you’re new to Fleetwood Mac’s extensive lore, here’s some context: Nicks and Buckingham first met as high school students in California. Their aforementioned collab album caught the attention of Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood, who asked Buckingham to join the group. He said yes — but only if he could bring his then-girlfriend and musical partner, Nicks.With Buckingham and Nicks involved, “[Fleetwood Mac] became a much more commercially successful band,” music journalist Mark Blake, author of “Dreams: The Many Lives of Fleetwood Mac,” tells HuffPost. “They gave the band a greater musical and visual identity.” Mark Sullivan via Getty ImagesMusical group Fleetwood Mac is interviewed in the press room following the 3rd Annual Rock Awards, held at The Palladium in Hollywood in 1977.Astrologically, it’s easy to see why these two hit it off initially. Nicks (born May 26, 1948) has her Sun, Mercury and Uranus in buzzy Gemini, hence her distinct, whimsical vibe and natural affinity for songwriting. Not only did she pen some of the band’s most well-known hits, “Nicks was also the closest Fleetwood Mac had to a traditional front-person on stage,” Blake says.Born Oct. 3, 1949, Buckingham has his Sun, Mercury and Neptune in charming Libra, all indicators of his good looks, artsy flair and great ear as a music producer. They’re both intelligent, curious, creative people who value exploration and don’t want to be pinned down. I’m reminded of the opening verse of “Frozen Love,” sung by Buckingham: “You may not be as strong as me / And I may not care to teach you / It may be hard to keep up with me / But I’ll always be able to reach you.”Buckingham and Nicks’ Venus placements — in Scorpio and Cancer, respectively — reflect their shared sensitivity. When it comes to matters of the heart, they don’t skim the surface ― they go deep, potentially to the point of obsession. Additionally, their Venus synastry speaks to their compatibility as artistic collaborators. In that regard, at least, they were on the same wavelength.The Tension Is Written In The StarsThough Fleetwood Mac had broken through, things weren’t looking so good behind the scenes for the couple. Buckingham and Nicks’ relationship was already falling apart prior to joining the band; success didn’t magically fix that. As Nicks told The New Yorker: “We just put our relationship kind of back together, because I was smart enough to know that, if we had broken up the second month of being in Fleetwood Mac, it would have blown the whole thing.” They split up for real in 1976, roughly two years after joining the band, but kept working together.Dig deeper into their synastry, and the issues in their dynamic appear. For one thing, Buckingham’s Aquarius Moon doesn’t form a connection to Nick’s Capricorn Moon. They process their emotions differently (he needs time and space to think, she’s more practical and prefers to work through things). Their chart rulers — aka the planets that rule their respective rising signs and thus represent them in their birth chart — aren’t connected either. That might be why Nicks felt like she couldn’t be her true self when she was with Buckingham. Tim Mosenfelder via Getty ImagesNicks and Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac take the stage at the 2013 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race Course on May 4, 2013.“My laughter, the way I could deal with a lot of difficult things, all made him cringe. So I changed when I was around him,” she told Woman’s Own magazine in 1990. “I became mouse-like and would never dare offer a suggestion.”John McVie and Christine McVie, two of their bandmates, also divorced around this time and would only interact to discuss music. All that drama inspired a number of songs on the band’s Grammy-winning album ”Rumours” (1977) — and the aforementioned “Silver Springs,” which, to Nicks’ dismay, was omitted from the album and released as a B-side of the first single. “Do you mean ‘Silver Springs,’ probably the best song I’ve ever written?” she recalled asking Fleetwood and Buckingham at the time, per People. “And they’re like, ‘Well, yeah. Let’s move on with that.’”To make matters worse, Nicks was involved in an affair with Mick Fleetwood, their bandmate. (Fleetwood later went on to have another affair with one of Nicks’ good friends. Ouch.)But back to Buckingham and Nicks. At this point, tensions were running so high that they were openly fighting on stage. Nicks had also developed a serious cocaine addiction.Buckingham ended up leaving the band in 1987 to pursue a solo career. Nicks exited a few years later, reportedly due to a fight with Buckingham over the rights to “Silver Springs.” They both rejoined in ’97. However, Nicks refused to perform with Buckingham for the band’s final tour in 2018 and 2019, so he left the group.The main astrological culprit for their messiness? Neptune, the planet of dreams, spirituality and delusions. Buckingham’s Sun and Mercury are closely conjunct in Nicks’ Neptune (in her 7th House of committed relationships, no less). Her Venus squares his Neptune. Hello, confusion!Chelsea Lauren via Getty ImagesNicks and Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac perform at Staples Center on July 3, 2013, in Los Angeles, California.This indicates that Nicks was prone to looking at Buckingham through rose-colored glasses, unable to see and accept him in his totality. Meanwhile, Buckingham was inclined to misinterpret Nicks’ desires and bids for affection, warping his perception of their relationship (from “Go Your Own Way,” which he reportedly wrote as a pointed jab at her: “Tell me why / Everything turned around / Packing up / Shacking up is all you want to do”).Granted, this complicated synastry explains why they made such poignant, enduringly popular music together. “People love a love story,” Blake notes, and theirs was certainly one for the ages. It also explains why their relationship (and eventual breakup) was so messy and protracted. As Buckingham told The Times UK in 2021, “There were a number of years where I wasn’t over [Nicks]. It is possible that she has never been completely over me either.”Nicks herself echoed the sentiment in an interview with Jimmy Fallon in 2009: “Lindsey and I, you know, there will always be that attraction. So it’s magical” — another Neptune keyword! — “and the people see it.”Brought Together By Music — But Stuck Together By Destiny?Not to be dramatic, but I do think Buckingham and Nicks were destined to meet. They both have close aspects to each other’s North and South Nodes of the Moon. In astrology, these mathematical points where the Moon’s orbit intersects with the ecliptic represent the skills we’ve already mastered (South Node) and where we’re meant to go in this lifetime (North Node). Buckingham’s midheaven, a high point in the birth chart associated with one’s career and public image, is conjunct with Nicks’ North Node. That means his rise to fame is linked to her life trajectory.Meanwhile, Nicks’ ascendant, aka her rising sign, is closely connected to Buckingham’s North Node. It’s no surprise that he explicitly pushed for Nicks’ inclusion in Fleetwood Mac, a move that tied his destiny to hers. “You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you.” Indeed.So, there you have it: Two prolific musicians and ex-lovers, bound together by fate, fame and an extensive catalog of songs they made together. In Nicks’ words, “At 15 and a half, I fell in love with a really handsome boy in Arcadia High School in Los Angeles. Thank God for that, because even though my relationship with Lindsey didn’t really end well, the passionate feeling I had for this man — who I still know very well, and, in my own way, will always be crazy about — he brought out [this music].”