Rising Sign: What It Is and What It Means
The rising sign is the zodiac sign that was coming up over the eastern horizon at the exact moment you were born. What it means and how it's calculated.
What the rising sign is
The rising sign, or ascendant, is the degree of the zodiac that was appearing on the eastern horizon (where the Sun rises) right when you were born. Because the whole zodiac makes one full turn around the sky every 24 hours, a sign takes about two hours to rise completely. That's why your rising sign changes with your birth time, and it's what most sets apart two people with the same Sun sign.
In the birth chart it marks the start of the 1st house and is shown with the abbreviation AC or ASC.
How it's interpreted
In astrology it's linked to first impressions, the image you project and the way you tend to react to something new. If your Sun sign describes your core, your rising sign is like the front door: the first thing other people notice.
The planet that rules your rising sign (the chart ruler) is also considered important, and astrologers look at which house of the chart it sits in. This is a symbolic reading: it's for reflection, not prediction.
How to calculate it
You need three pieces of information: your birth date, your birth time as exact as possible, and your birth city. A difference of just a few minutes can change the degree of your rising sign, and a couple of hours can change the sign itself. Your birth time is usually listed on your birth certificate.
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