The rising sign in your birth chart, otherwise known as the Ascendant, can tell you many things about yourself, including how you appear to others. It is the sign in the Zodiac that is rising at the eastern horizon the moment you were born, and it can be determined by knowing your exact time and place of birth.

Interpreting your rising sign can help you better understand yourself, as well as the world around you, as it can speak of your personality. Here are interesting things about the rising sign in your birth chart that you might find helpful:

What is the rising sign?

The rising sign, more commonly known as the Ascendant, is one of the astrology signs in the Zodiac that is rising on the eastern horizon the moment you were born. It is said to speak of first impressions or of how you appear to others. Oftentimes, you may disagree with what others have to say about you the first time you meet, and you may sometimes be unaware of these traits. Your rising sign reflects your outer image that you may not even see at all. It can also speak of your physical beauty and how you regard your appearance.

Although it does not entirely make up your personality, your rising sign contributes much to your being, as it also speaks of your initial reactions to new situations or new environments. Its traits show up right away, unlike your Sun sign characteristics that you and others will discover over time.

How is it determined?

Your rising sign is usually marked ASC on your birth chart. As mentioned earlier, it is the sign in the Zodiac that is rising on the eastern horizon the exact moment you were born. It is said to change every two hours, and you therefore need to know your exact time of birth to accurately come up with your Ascendant, or rising sign. Even twins can have different rising signs, though they share the same sun sign.

To correctly calculate your rising sign, you also need to provide your exact place of birth. You must include your city or town, your state, and your country to be precise. These details will help identify the longitude and latitude of your place of birth, thus the exact time of your birth and the exact sign that is rising on the eastern horizon.

Many astrology websites offer tools to help you instantly determine your rising sign. You can also purchase birth charts with the special points already indicated for your convenience.

As long as you provide your exact birth place and time details, you can accurately identify your rising sign, or you Ascendant. After determining and interpreting your rising sign traits, you are on your way to understanding and accepting yourself and other people better.