What is a rising sign?
Your rising sign, also called the ascendant, is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon when you were born. In your birth chart it marks where the first house begins, and every other house is counted from there. Read more about the term on the ascendant glossary page.
Your Sun sign describes who you are, and your Moon sign what helps you feel at ease. Your rising sign describes how you act when you meet someone new or start something new. It is the side of you people see first.
How is the rising sign calculated?
As the Earth turns, all twelve signs cross the eastern horizon once every twenty-four hours. The calculator uses your birth date, your birth time and the latitude and longitude of your birthplace to find which sign and which degree were on the horizon at that moment. When you pick your birthplace from the list, the time zone is set automatically, and past clock changes such as daylight saving time are applied for your birth date.
The calculation uses the tropical zodiac, the standard in Western astrology. Houses use the Placidus system; at very high northern or southern latitudes the calculator switches to Equal houses.
Why your birth time matters so much
The ascendant moves about one degree every four minutes on average. If you were born in the last degrees of a sign, a few minutes move your rising sign into the next one. That is why you take the time from your birth certificate or hospital record.
If you don't know your birth time, the birth time calculator finds your most likely birth time from the dates of major events in your life. Then enter that time here to find your rising sign.
Not every sign rises at the same speed
The rising sign changes about every two hours on average, but some signs rise faster than others. At the latitude of New York, Aries and Pisces rise in about 70 minutes, while Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio take about two and a half hours. In London, Aries and Pisces take under an hour and Leo through Scorpio nearly three. That is why, in the northern hemisphere, Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio rising are more common and Aries and Pisces rising are rarer. In the southern hemisphere it is the other way around.
What you see in your results
Your rising sign comes first: the sign, its degree and a short description. Right below are your Moon and Sun signs. Further down is your full birth chart: the wheel, each planet's sign, degree and house, your element balance and the main aspects.
Frequently asked questions
Is the rising sign calculator free?
Yes. No sign-up and no email needed.
I don't know my birth time. How do I find my rising sign?
Your rising sign can't be found without a birth time. The birth time calculator finds your most likely birth time from the dates of major events in your life; enter that time here to get your rising sign.
How often does the rising sign change?
About every two hours on average. At the latitude of New York, Aries and Pisces take about 70 minutes, while Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio take about two and a half hours.
Why is my rising sign different from my Sun sign?
Your Sun sign depends on the day you were born, your rising sign on the time. If you were born at sunrise, the Sun was on the horizon, so both are the same sign. As the day goes on, the rising sign moves through the other signs in turn.
Which zodiac and house system do you use?
The tropical zodiac and the Placidus house system, the most common setup in Western astrology.
Are my birth details stored?
No. Your date, time and place are used only for the calculation and are not saved. Your name is never sent to the server.
Once you know your rising sign, the next step is your daily reading. The app writes it for you every day based on your rising sign and houses, and you talk your chart through with Selene.