Your ascendant sign—or “rising sign”—is the zodiac sign that was ascending the eastern horizon at the time you were born. It sets up your birth chart. The birth chart is divided into 12 sections of life, and the rising sign is where the first section of your birth chart begins.

The Rising sign is the sign that is in the 1st house of your natal birth chart, which is the house that rules your personality and your countenance. Your Rising sign can only be determined if you know your time and place of birth as well as your date of birth.

What is a rising sign? While a person’s sun sign is determined by their date of birth, their rising sign is determined by the precise time they were born. Because there are 24 hours in a day and 12 zodiac signs, every two hours is ruled by a different rising (or ascendant) sign.

Also called an ascendant, a rising sign is derived from the zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon at the moment a person was born. The rising sign is said to provide insights into our personalities, how we interact with others and the energy we project into the world. They could even determine our senses of style and aesthetic inclinations.

The Rising sign is like a direct connection between our Earth and the zodiac path. It is the zodiac sign that was “rising” over the Earth at the moment that we took our first breath, the point of intersection between the wheel of personal Houses and the celestial zodiac wheel. It represents our appearance in the world.