Horoscopes and Rising Signs - What is the Ascendant?

What is the rising sign? Where in the horoscope is this sign located and what is its astrological significance?

Most people will have heard of the term ‘rising sign’ and the other term often used for it: the ascendant.

The ascendant is often the first feature of interest when an astrologer begins interpreting a chart. The ascendant is the actual degree of the ecliptic which is rising over the Eastern horizon at the precise time of birth; the rising sign is the sign rising over the Eastern Horizon at the time of birth; also the sign on the cusp of the first house.

The Rising Sign

The Rising Sign is determined from the time and place of birth. The more exact this information the more accurate will be this important feature of the horoscope. Sometimes magazines and newspapers give charts for working out ascendants in a general way but because of the calculations involved, it’s best to consult an astrologer to find your true ascendant. For a quick calculation you might use Rising Sign Calculator.

This part of the chart indicates how others will see you: the personality and expressions which will be on show. That’s why it’s often easier to guess a person’s Ascendant or Rising sign than their sun sign.

The Horoscope and Sun Sign

Most people know their sun sign. This is the sign the sun was in when they were born, for instance an Arian will have the sun in Aries, a Capricorn is named such because the sun was in Capricorn when they were born.

Sun sign characteristics are often masked by the ascendant. For example once that cheerful and seemingly extrovert Leo ascendant shows the true person underneath, there may be revealed a well-hidden sensitive and emotional side to the same personality which is her or her Pisces sun sign.

Rising Sign Personalities

Summed up in a few words, here’s what to expect in rising sign personalities.
Aries rising will be quick, enthusiastic and a little heated.
Taurus rising will be amicable but often stubborn and will love good food.
Gemini rising will be versatile with a love of variety as he or she will be easily bored. Leo rising will be confident, cheerful and a good entertainer.
Cancer rising will be sensitive and family orientated.
Virgo rising may be a little reserved: he or she will be neat in appearance and manner, sometimes to the point of being finicky.
Libra rising is charming, graceful and probably very good looking.
Deep and determined is the person with Scorpio rising.
Sagittarius rising is jovial and courageous with a good sense of humour.
Capricorn rising is reliable and hard working.
Aquarius rising is sociable and open minded.
Piscens rising will be artistic sensitive and imaginative.

So where the sun sign describes the basic ego and the Moon sign, the emotional inner self, the rising sign portrays the façade a person shows to the rest of the world.