Video:Rising Signs in Birth Chart

Transcript:Rising Signs in Birth Chart

Hi I'm Cindy Turner for About.com.

What is your rising sign and what does it mean? In astrology, your rising sign -- also called the ascendant -- is the zodiac sign that was rising over the eastern horizon at the time of your birth.

How to Determine Rising Signs in the Birth Chart

Your birth chart is actually a combination of two circles that lead you to your rising sign. The two circles are your zodiac circle and your house of wheels. The rising sign is located at the intersection of these two wheels and is also the cusp or entrance of your first house. There are 12 houses and they represent different departments of your life.

Another way to look at the location of your rising sign is to look at the twelve houses. They are divided into two major divisions -- the Meridian and the Horizon. Where the horizontal axis intersects the Eastern horizon or left side is your Ascendant or Rising sign. And here is the (point) cusp or entrance to your first House. It's crucial to know your accurate birth time to find the exact location of your rising sign.

What Rising Signs in the Birth Chart Mean

Your rising sign is often called your public mask. Its how you present yourself especially to strangers. It is the image your project. It is an extremely important factor in your birth chart.

Whatever planet is in your rising sign is your birth chart ruler, which means every planet on your chart is filtered through the ruling planet. Your rising sign is what differentiates you from others who have the same sun sign. Here are some examples of rising signs.

Thanks for watching. To learn more visit us on the web at About.com.