What's My Rising Sign? Everything to Know, According to an Astrologer

Perhaps the most commonly asked astrology-related question is, “What’s your sign?” And the easiest — and standard — way of answering this question is to refer to your sun sign, the zodiac sign through which the sun was traveling on the day you were born. But, your sun sign is just one detail of your natal, or birth, chart, which is your nuanced, entirely unique astrological profile. You can think of your birth chart as a screenshot that depicts the positions of the sun, the moon and all of the planets in the solar system from the vantage point of your birthplace at the precise time of your birth. And once you have your birth chart in hand, you can learn your astrological “Big Three,” which includes not only your sun sign but your moon sign and rising sign (aka ascendant). While your moon sign speaks to your emotional nature and needs, your rising sign offers insight on how you show up in the world, how others perceive you as well as your perspective on and approach to life and early childhood. In other words, it offers truly valuable intel that can heighten your self-awareness. So if you're wondering, what's my rising sign and what does it tell me about myself, keep scrolling to find out!

What is the rising sign?

The rising sign, or ascendant, is the zodiac sign that was ascending on the eastern horizon at the time of your birth. It’s also the sign that lays the groundwork for the entirety of your chart, so it’s quite important.

When looking at a circular birth chart, the rising sign shows up on the angle marked on the left hand side of that chart — right on the cusp of the First House of Self. Your rising sign colors your personality, how you forged your self-image early in life, your physical appearance, how you deal with unknown territory and beginnings and how you present yourself as well as how you’re perceived by others. It also speaks to the skills, talents and strategies that you tap into as you pursue your life purpose.

That said, because it characterizes your external self, your rising sign is the sign people might guess you are, based on their first impression of you. There’s a chance your sun sign is quite different from your rising, you could feel like there’s a little bit of a disparity between how you’re perceived and how you see yourself (which is what the sun represents). By pinpointing your rising sign, you can more readily explore both unique aspects of your character.

How to find your rising sign

As a result of the position of the horizon changing so often, the rising sign also changes roughly every two hours. So, unlike the sun that moves from sign to sign about every 30 days, it’s a detail of your birth chart that you can’t quite uncover without a precise birth time. That said, you’ll want to check out your long-form birth certificate for your birth time, then cast your birth chart or use this rising sign calculator.

Rising sign meanings

Now that you know what your rising sign is, read on for details on what your rising sign says about you.

Aries rising

With your ascendant in Aries, the cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars, the planet of action and energy, you’re perceived as a go-getter who likes to move through life at a clip. You’re likely not one to dwell, preferring to figure out and get on with the next step of your game plan ASAP. You’re seen as competitive, no-nonsense, enthusiastic and self-sufficient.

What's my rising sign: Taurus rising

Born with your ascendant in Taurus, the fixed earth sign ruled by Venus, the planet of romance and beauty, you appear steadfast, calm, pleasure-seeking, luxury-loving and practical. You are seen as someone who holds tight to your values — and your preferences. Deliberate and cautious, you prefer to take your time making decisions and moving plans forward. At times, you may struggle with adaptability.

Gemini rising

Thanks to your ascendant falling in Gemini, the mutable earth sign ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication, you’re bubbly, research-savvy, quick-witted, curious and eager to connect with others in order to learn and share information. You come off as busy and constantly on-the-go. Your social circle is diverse, and you’re eager to perpetually dive into a bevy of varied interests.

What's my rising sign: Cancer rising

Born with your ascendant falling in the intuitive moon-ruled cardinal water sign Cancer, others see you as tenderhearted, protective, nurturing, sympathetic and sentimental. A born initiator, you don’t shy away from big picture projects. You also show you care for loved ones and anyone you come in contact with — and you have a particular soft spot for animals, too. When your emotions run high, you might withdraw into your shell, preferring not to connect with others until you’ve had time to process your feelings.

Leo rising

With your ascendant in the fixed fire sign Leo, ruled by the vibrant sun, you’re seen as charismatic, relentlessly driven, drama-loving, passionate, optimistic and confident. You tend to radiate a celebrity-like quality that can’t help but enhance your popularity. Your cheerfulness and proactive, positive perspective also makes you quite magnetic. Because you have a tendency to dig your heels in once you’ve settled on a path forward, you might aim to work on being more flexible.

What's my rising sign: Virgo rising

With your ascendant in the mutable earth sign Virgo, ruled by messenger Mercury, you’re perceived as communicative, detail-oriented, interested in being of service to others and analytical. Because you love to gather information, ideally for the sake of pinpointing solutions for loved ones and friends, you’re seen as reliable and grounded as well as knowledgeable. You might struggle with indecisiveness, in part because you tend to overthink. Listening to and trusting your inner voice is a lifelong lesson.

Libra rising

With your ascendant in cardinal air sign Libra, ruled by Venus, the planet of relationships and values, you come off as beauty-loving, gentle, stylish, justice-seeking and perpetually seeking more harmony, balance and tranquility. Deeply people-oriented, you take great pride in your social life. You might be especially fired up to nurture your one-on-one relationships, whether romantic, platonic or professional. As an innate peacemaker, you tend to dodge conflict at all costs, which is admirable but can also set the stage for behaving in a passive-aggressive manner.

What's my rising sign: Scorpio rising

With your ascendant in fixed water sign Scorpio, co-ruled by Mars, the planet of action, and Pluto, the planet of transformation, you’re seen as incredibly magnetic, powerful, fearless, loyal and, well, a bit intense. You tend to zero in on key ambitions and goals and then apply laser focus to moving toward — and crossing — the finish line. You’re also quite mysterious to others, as you won’t necessarily open up to just anyone. As resolute as you are, you may, at times, grapple with inflexibility.

Sagittarius rising

Born with your ascendant in fortunate Jupiter-ruled Sagittarius, which is the mutable fire sign, you’re perceived as joyful, entertaining, exuberant, philosophical and knowledge-seeking, and full of joie de vivre and wanderlust. A natural born entertainer, you excel at making people laugh. You’re also rather unfiltered, as you value the truth above all else. You can find it challenging to be engaged by the minutiae of everyday life, preferring to focus on the big picture and your next great adventure.

What's my rising sign: Capricorn rising

Thanks to your ascendant falling in Capricorn, the cardinal earth sign ruled by taskmaster Saturn, the planet of boundaries, commitment and hard work, you’re perceived as diligent, goal-oriented, industrious, pragmatic, salt of the earth, wise beyond your years and, well, quite serious. You are seen as possessing innate leadership qualities and being up for putting your nose to the grindstone to make it to the tippy-top of whatever mountain you’ve set your sights on. You might not be much for experimentation, preferring to stick to what you see as traditional and sensible.

Aquarius rising

With your ascendant in Aquarius, the fixed air sign co-ruled by Uranus, the rebellious, game-changer planet and Saturn, the taskmaster planet, others see you as personable, future-minded, eccentric, innovative and humanitarian yet occasionally contrarian. You come off as quite cerebral and interested in connecting with others in group or community settings, always up for broadening your diverse friend group even further. And as inventive as you can be, you may find yourself sometimes falling into black-and-white thinking.

What's my rising sign: Pisces rising

Born with your ascendant in Pisces, the mutable water sign co-ruled by Neptune, the planet of spirituality, and Jupiter, the planet of abundance, you come off as imaginative, empathic, sensitive, a dreamer, gentle and perhaps even a bit psychic. Perceived as someone with a poet’s heart who loves escaping into daydreams and fantasies, you often see where life takes you versus claiming the driver’s seat. You can struggle to make decisions and tend to prioritize emotions over rationality.

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