Your Sun, Moon & Rising Sign: Explore Your Astrological Big Three
Your Sun, Moon, and Rising (or Ascendant) zodiac sign are three personal energies in your birth chart that represent the foundations of your personality and inner world. This cosmic trio alludes to your most basic emotional instincts and how you express them. If your life were a movie, your Sun sign would be the characterization of the protagonist, your Moon sign would be the main character's emotional energy and instincts, and your rising sign would be the title on the big screen which hints at the hero’s journey.
Your Ascendant (Rising) Sign
Your ascendant (Asc) is the most important angle in your birth chart, signifying the way you approach life and your overall life path and destiny. The zodiac sign to which your ascendant points is called your rising sign. This is the zodiac sign that aligns with your 1st astrological house and is what you should use to read your horoscopes (not your Sun sign), as it reflects your attitude, the wider nature of your personality, and the energy you give off before people get to know you. Your rising sign is determined by the zodiac sign that rose over the eastern horizon the moment you were born. This sign changes approximately every two hours, making it essential you use your correct birth time to determine it.
Your rising sign dictates your outermost energy and creates the framework for the rest of your birth chart. It explains why some people have an unconscious scowl even when they aren't unhappy and why some approach life as if they’re constantly competing with everyone around them. As the first reference to your life path in your birth chart, your rising sign illuminates what your character arc is — for example, a dedicated and ambitious Capricorn rising has a life path centered around the long strive toward achievement. On the other hand, a sensitive and reclusive Cancer rising's life path is all about maintaining inner security by building nurturing sanctuaries. Your rising sign also determines your ruling planet — aka, the natural planetary ruler of your rising sign — which reveals your natural gifts and talents, and the lessons and challenges you'll come across in life.
Your Sun Sign
Sun signs are the most widely recognized placement in astrology. They are what you may have referred to as your star sign. Your Sun sign is determined by the zodiacal season you were born under and is the zodiac sign that you probably identify with the most. As the Sun is the planet that governs your conscious self, ego, identity, and willpower, it’s understandable why we’re immediately drawn to our Sun sign when first introduced to astrology. Unlike your rising sign, your Sun sign may not immediately come across to strangers. But, when they get to know you, it will become obvious as it is the fuel on which your personality operates.
Your Sun sign is the heart of your being which explains why you have specific core interests. For example, if you’re a vibrant Leo Sun (born during Leo Season: July 22 to August 22), your natural confidence and playful nature will draw you toward creative and expressive fields, such as art, fashion, media, and drama, where you can be yourself and receive recognition for it. However, independent Aquarius Suns, born from January 20 to February 18, have an abundance of original ideas, which draws them to writing, socializing, humanitarianism, science, and politics, where they can demonstrate their intellectual prowess and better the world around them.
Your Moon Sign
Your Moon sign is the most sensitive placement in your birth chart, determined by the zodiac sign, which the Moon transited when you were born. The Moon shifts on a 28-day cycle, so it changes signs every 2.5 days (approximately), meaning you need your full date, place, and time of birth to determine it. Unlike your Sun and Rising sign, your Moon sign is the least obvious to strangers and will require people to get to know you deeply before it reveals itself through your words and behavior. Your Moon sign illuminates how you process your emotions and make sense of the experiences that trigger your feelings. So, if you have your natal Moon in an earth sign, you’re more likely to dissect your emotions on an analytical and grounded level, whereas if your Moon is in a water sign, you’re most likely to feel the depths of all your feelings and the waves of which they fluctuate.
Astrologically speaking, the Moon is the celestial body that oversees instinctual emotions, your subconscious feelings, and nurturing energy. Your Moon sign determines how you respond to the world around you at an emotional level and why you react a certain way when you are triggered. For example, dramatic and passionate Aries Moons are emotionally reactive and quick to defend themselves and others. Balanced Libra Moons, on the other hand, are more likely to weigh up their feelings against the situation to assess whether their emotions are justified before expressing them. Your Moon sign reflects your tender feelings and is a great planet to assess if you're looking for insight into your emotional depth.
