All of us are born at a given time and place with multiple celestial bodies dominating our character traits and qualities. We are well-versed with the terms sun sign and zodiac sign, however, the rising sign — also known as the ascendant sign — is equally important and holds a major significance in determining one’s external qualities and how other people distinguish them from the rest of the crowd.
As conversations around zodiac signs are catching attention nowadays, people are getting curious about the rising sign, which is an essential component of the birth chart.
Before delving deep into the intricacies of the rising sign, take a quick look at what the sun and moon signs refer to. Sun sign represents your identity and the ways in which you appear to others, whereas the moon sign represents your inner and emotional self and how you are at the subconscious level.
And, if you ever feel stuck between the two and nothing seems to connect, then it is probably the rising sign that’s playing its part. Read on to know more.
What is the rising sign?

The rising or ascendant sign is a part of your birth chart with the sun sign and moon sign. Rising sign represents the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the exact time you were born. Hence, the time of your birth and location plays an important role in figuring out the rising sign.
As per astrologers, the 360-degree shaped birth chart is extremely insightful. It helps in deciphering various aspects about a human being including social personality, upcoming opportunities, love life, health and profession.
At times you may be unable to act according to your zodiac sign and appear different to people unless you open up to that person deeply. It is said that the rising sign mimics a mask that helps hide your true feelings.
For instance, if your sun sign is Aries and you have Libra as the rising sign, things might look different for others. For example, your Libra rising qualities might overshadow your stereotypical Aries traits, leaving people surprised. But, it’s not their fault as the rising sign needs a deeper understanding.
Importance of the rising sign

The rising sign perfectly determines the positions of all the houses and planets in one’s birth chart, also known as the natal chart.
While you can calculate your rising sign online with a rising sign calculator, the most important detail is the time of your birth as the ascendant switches to a new house every two hours.
The ascendant sign brings lesser-known yet exciting qualities with its presence in signs of the elements — earth sign, fire sign, air sign and water sign.
Fire rising (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius)
As the name goes, fire signs are generally hot-headed. Ruled by Mars, those with an Aries rising might be straightforward, have strong opinions and like to live their life by their own rules.
Meanwhile, people with Leo rising give off bright energy and also possess the abilities to do everything at a large scale. They are fortunate and are rarely found to be in an inferior position/job due to their natural-leading abilities. The Leo ascendant is ruled by the Sun.
Always striving for something bigger and adventurous in life, those with Sagittarius rising radiate a jaunty nature and have Jupiter as their ruler. Carrying an optimistic energy always, they are on the go to move to a different place. Like those with Aries rising, the ones with Sagittarius rising can’t be caged and like to live independently.
Earth rising (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn)
People with the earth rising love the things around them and might be perceived as a worldly creature. However, they are actually realistic and stay away from fuss.
The ones with Taurus rising do not like to change their regular routine and instead could be labeled as dependent, constant and reliable beings. They can also carry stubborn and strong-willed traits despite having soft and delicate features. The sign is ruled by Venus.
Individuals with Virgo rising, ruled by Mercury, are quiet, timid and prefer to be in the background. Although they choose a low-key environment, they have a keen eye for detail and can be harsh critics, even to themselves. They seek perfection in every task they do.
Smart, realistic and self-sufficient beings, the ones with Capricorn rising are no-dreamers, and like to follow their pragmatic thoughts. Their qualities help them to carve themselves into perfect strategists and planners, both in professional and personal life. These perfectionists are ruled by the planet Saturn.
Air rising (Gemini, Libra and Aquarius)
Those with an air rising are warm, welcoming and generally talkative which helps them make friends quickly.
Like Virgo, Gemini is also ruled by Mercury, however, the two have different mannerisms and qualities. People with Gemini rising follow a proper system and also plan the same to improve their day-to-day life. Communication is their best aspect and a valuable factor in their lives. Virgo ascendants also appreciate relationships with easy dialog-flow.
People with Libra rising are a joy for most and their presence in social settings is appealing even to strangers. Ruled by Venus, these people are true followers of diplomacy and like being fair to all. They also value relationships, art and friendships to a great extent.
Ruled by Uranus — the planet linked to revolution — people with Aquarius rising like to engage in activities that result in advancement and human evolution. They are progressive and dynamic, always on the go to move forward. Due to their high hopes and world-changing plans, people perceive them as cold. But, they are just ambitious.
Water rising (Pisces, Scorpio and Cancer)
The water ascendant signs may radiate mysterious vibes, but they provide utmost care and love to people around them.
With Neptune ruling them, the ones with Pisces rising live in and for the moment. Being the last sign on the zodiac list, Pisceans have masterfully learned the experiences of the other 11 signs, giving them psychic abilities. Hence, they have a thorough understanding of humans as they wish to learn about others and connect with them.
With Pluto ruling the sign, people with Scorpio rising are natural investigators. Additionally, they are private people and do not let anyone know them entirely. They live passionately with a strong will to achieve whatever they have their eyes on. Luckily, with their intuitive qualities to read other people, they are both good with the material world and humans.
Those with Cancer rising, who are ruled by the moon, are unsurprisingly the most loyal out of all the signs. They also experience multiple emotions and are extremely connected to the people they love and admire. With everything in their life affected by sensitive feelings, Cancer ascendant signs can sometimes feel hard to express.
(Main and featured image courtesy: Farzad Mohsenvand/ Unsplash)