What’s My (Rising) Sign? Free Ascendant Calculator Tool

rising signThe “ascendant” (or “rising sign” — these terms are used interchangeably) refers to the sign that is “rising” or on the Eastern horizon at the time of birth.

It sets up the rest of the astrological house structure — the 12 sectors that correlate to important life areas — and determine where the planets and other points fall in a natal chart.

This is why knowing the exact moment of birth is so important to astrologers. Most predictive work relies more heavily on houses (which are again determined by the birth time and thus the ascendant) than most lay people realize.

Even weekly horoscopes and monthly forecasts are written more from the perspective of rising signs than Sun signs.

Scroll down for the Rising Sign Calculator. Or use the table below for  for an approximate representation based on the 12 Sun signs. If your birth time is “iffy” this may help you to determine your rising sign (ascendant). However it’s far from precise and we can’t stress enough the importance of learning your exact birth time if you want an accurate astrological interpretation.

To find your rising sign using this table, locate your Sun sign in the left column and your approximate birth time in the top row. For example, an Aries Sun person born at 2:20 am would — according to this table — have a Pisces ascendant. A Capricorn Sun sign person born at 12:06 pm would have Taurus rising. And so on.

If you’re looking for a book on this subject, The Ascendant by Jodie Forrest is excellent!

Now looking at the table below, see if you can locate your rising sign, even if you know your exact birth time. You’ll be able to check it against the calculator at the bottom of this page as well. The Symbols for each sign are listed in the right column.

rising-sign-table

If you do know your exact birth time, you can find your ascendant instantly using the ascendant calculator tool below. But first let’s look at what rising signs are and how they apply to you.

The rising sign represents your instinctive approach to life. It’s what people see when they first meet you and how they might describe you to others. It’s your personality and how you present yourself to the world. This also applies to physical characteristics and limitations.

The ascendant — or rising sign — also sets up the entire natal chart structure, which includes houses (life departments) and what are called rulerships. It also tells you where each of the planets in your natal chart fall (which house they fall in and which house they rule). As you can imagine, having this information is critical for getting the full picture as far as not only who you are, but also information about your relationships, career, finances, family, health and so on.

Let’s look at a brief snapshot of each of the 12 rising signs:

aries-glyphAries: Aries rising people present themselves as warm, dynamic, assertive and competitive. They’re movers and shakers, throwing themselves eagerly into new ventures that don’t require a lot of forethought and planning. They can be impatient and can lose steam if something becomes tedious or boring. They’re gung-ho about diving into something new and fresh but not so good about tying up loose ends. They’re drawn to that which is new and exciting — anything that challenges them to push past their fears. They tend to act first and think later, relying on their natural instincts, which are generally very good.  As Mars is the ruler or Aries, this is further defined by the sign and house placement of their natal Mars.

Taurus-glyphTaurus rising people tend to be more slow moving. They’re earthy, practical and sensuous, preferring comfort over extravagance and quality over quantity. They like to take their time easing into things — and that includes relationships. They can be infinitely patient and willing to bide their time rather than rushing in head first. They can be hedonistic and self-indulgent. They enjoy savoring experiences with all five senses. They’re generally cool, calm and collected, but when they get mad, watch out! They can be like a bull in a china shop. They can also be stubborn, possessive and resistant to change. While some may see them as lazy, they prefer to call it rest and relaxation. As Venus is the ruler of Taurus, these characteristics can be further defined or modified by the sign and house placement of their natal Venus.

gemini-glyphGemini: A Gemini rising is all about communication. There is a sharpness of mind and restlessness of spirit although not in a negative way. So many things will interest you and there may seem to be not enough hours in the day to do them all. A Gemini rising usually gives a slender body frame perhaps from all the mental energy expended. You will never be without words within a conversation infact you may be the one waiting for the other person or the rest of the group to catch up with what is going on. You will have many interests and hobbies. Romantically you need to connect with your partner on an intellectual level. If you are involved with someone with Gemini rising then brush up on what is going on in the world and/or find out what interests them and start talking to them about it.

cancer glyphCancer: It’s all about the home and family life for you. You are great at being the caregiver and nourishing those around you. There is a softness to your body which goes well with the mother instinct inside you. For a male with Cancer rising there is the capacity to be on the lookout to what will make the family feel secure and safe alongside wanting to be emotional depended upon by your partner. This works both ways. Cancers are all about emotions, giving and caring which means you will seek a partner and home life that supply you with these traits. You have the ability to listen to those around you and give them advice to help them on their way in life.

leo-glyphLeo: If all the world were a stage and you have a Leo rising then you would be very happy indeed! A Leo rising needs to be seen and appreciated afterall you are the king of the jungle and also the master of your own lair (Universe). There is a sense of the dramatic around you and you make a good actor. Alongside this you have an open heart and are not mean spirited but rather generous with your time, money, emotions. Your partner needs to realise this as if you are not being treated as the “king” you are and you are with a partner who is holding back, being stingy with emotions and finances you will not feel appreciated. You deserve the best because you are the best and there is no getting around that. Just make sure you live up to your innate sense of Leo rising character and don’t take the negative side of it.

virgo-glyphVirgo: You are precise, quick thinking and intelligent. For you the world is seen through an intellectual layer where you are discerning on what you want in your life and what you don’t want in your life. You are extremely helpful to others especially animals and those who are ill. Emotionally you may need to be needed in some way and for this reason you may wish to make certain that you needs are being met on an equal basis by your partner although you probably won’t do this and you have a sense of needing to be the “giver” in anything you do. Emotionally you may have the tendency to nitpick those around you and while you think you are doing this for their benefit it may not always feel like this to the person on the receiving end… infact it may feel very much like criticism.

libra-glyphLibra: You have the need to keep your life in balance and have the need to see all sides of a situation. You are not one to rush into an argument but sometimes because of your need to look at the situation as a whole you may open your mouth and find yourself arguing a cause that you don’t fully agree with but nevertheless have opened a can of worms because you were just trying to see the situation from all sides. Libra rising usually gives you a sense of beauty and refinement. You will like fashion and have a fine sense of style. You’ll enjoy all those feminine things ie trips to the beauty salon, hairdressers and being spoilt by your partner. If you are dating someone with a Libra rising make sure you are well dressed as these people have a need to gaze upon beauty.

scorpio-glyphScorpio: If you like your emotional life intense then try someone with a Scorpio rising. They are the detectives of the zodiac and want to know everything that is going on. Expect deep and meaningful conversations to be the norm as a Scorpio rising will want to know all your secrets and won’t stop until they do. Warning note: this may including snooping around to find out what they think you are hiding from them. They are intensely loyal, emotionally deep and sexy as hell so if you can handle all of these traits then you are onto a winner with a Scorpio rising. If you want to drive them a bit crazy just act mysterious as they like to unravel a mystery especially if it has a good ending. And it better be a good ending because if it’s not they may be out of your life before you know it.

sag-glyphSagittarius: There’s a joviality to your outlook on life alongside a need for a sense of adventure. Sagittarius is considered the lucky sign of the zodiac so having a Sagittarian ascendant is the next best thing. It means you will have a need to always be learning, like travel and foreign cultures alongside being able to comfortable immerse yourself within these cultures. Others may see you as outspoken and brutally honest. You are upbeat to be around and usually a bit of a clown in others company. For this reason people flock to you as you take their minds of the mundane and have the capacity to make them laugh. If you can laugh at yourself then so can others.

cap-glyphCapricorn: Life is a journey for you and the road you travel is every bit as important as the destination. Capricorn rising usually hold their looks well into old age as they tend to be so sturdy and solid in their health that by the time you have reached that time in your life you are ready to have some fun whereas others may be thinking of slowing down you are just getting ready to let your hair down. There’s a seriousness to this ascendant that is hard to break through. It allows you to reach success but may also leave you a bit lonely if success becomes your sole purpose in life. Don’t expect a Capricorn rising person to slow down and loosen up their attitudes to life until later in life but when they do they are more sprightly than most around them.

aq-glyphAquarius: Eccentric and born ahead of your time. That’s what you get from an Aquarian rising. You will place your friends and friendships high on your list of priorities alongside you need to fight a cause. Others may find you a bit stand offish but this is because you get to know people first before allowing them to get close to you. There is also a sense of exquisite beauty usually accompanying an Aquarian rising as it is ethereal and hard to put your finger on. You have a quick mind, a sharp intellect and lightening reflexes when it comes to understanding complexes that are well ahead of their time. Come to think of you you are well ahead of your time. You find love through friendship and friendship through love and anyone who wishes to be your partner should keep these two things in mind.

pisces-glyphPisces: Dreamy and able to immerse yourself in others. You have a healing quality around you just by being in your presence which can work for or against you. If you can manage good boundaries then this healing quality can be used for you to help others but if you allow yourself to become too overwhelmed by others and their problems then you may lose yourself. If Pisces is your ascendant you need to take some time out for yourself and do so frequently in order to replenish your energy levels and get straight in your head what you want versus what others are wanting from you. You’ll be interested in the arts, creativity of all kinds and psychic matters. There is also a high chance that you are a natural born psychic regardless of your Sun sign.


The birth time and place are both necessary for locating your exact rising sign. The table above will not give you precise information. In fact, it can be as much as a full sign off. And while more in-depth interpretations for each rising sign can br found in a good book, such as Jeanne Avery’s The Rising Sign: Your Astrological Mask, you can also leave a comment below (with your date — spelled out please — time and place of birth (City, State and Country), and we’ll be happy to tell you what yours is. You can also come to one of us for a comprehensive natal analysis.

 

Be sure to check out our natal and compatibility chart calculators too! 

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Thinking about learning Astrology? I highly recommend Stephen Arroyo’s Chart Interpretation Handbook and Demetra George’s Astrology for Yourself.

900 comments on “What’s My (Rising) Sign? Free Ascendant Calculator Tool

  1. Tammy Wooster

    I was born March 18, 1968 at 10:00 am in Trinidad, CO USA. Can you tell me what my rising sign is?

  2. Teraye

    Hello guys,

    I was born in Newport News, Virginia, US
    On July 4, 1989
    @ 11:46 AM

  3. Tanesha

    Hi there I was born in East Tennessee United States on December 19th 1987 at 11:56am Eastern Time (NY)

    1. Mel and Chris

      Tanesha. what City were you born in? It’s not time zones we need, it’s latitudes and longitudes. If you let us know the city of your birth we’ll come back to this. thanks!

  4. Jessica Leija

    Hi I was born March 29,1980 at 9:27pm McAllen,Texas I’ve honestly never felt like an aries some I agree with but majority of the time I don’t feel like they describe me

    1. Mel and Chris

      Yes Jessica, you’re absolutely right. You are 15 Scorpio rising with a Moon / Saturn conjunction in Virgo… no wonder you’ve never felt like a text book Aries!

  5. Kayla Whiting

    Hi 🙂 I was born September 6th 1995, Brisbane, Australia at 6pm

  6. Meldah

    Hi there, I was born in Odendaalsrus, Free State, South Africa on 22 August 1984 at 23:45 PM

    1. Mel and Chris

      Hi Melda — that’s 17 Taurus rising. And just in case you have always wondered whether you are a Leo or Virgo Sun, we can confirm for you it’s Leo. With the 11:45 pm birth time, you’re 29 Leo 56.

  7. C M

    Hi Guys. I was born November 22, 1974 at 6:30 p.m. in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. I would love to know my rising sign based on my specific date, time and place of birth. The chart above indicates Cancer as my rising sign but I don’t really identify with any of its personality traits so I am really confused. Thank you in advance for your help.

    1. Mel and Chris

      Hi CM — you’re 8 Gemini rising. This is a really beautiful chart and I hope you have some creative outlet.

  8. Cathy standfast

    Hi! I was born December 16, 1957 at 9:26 am in Morristown, NJ. Can you please tell me both my rising and moon signs?

    1. Mel and Chris

      Hi Cathy. that’a 25 Capricorn rising, with a strong Capricorn theme (Sun conjunct Saturn, packed 10th house and the Cap rising). All the best.

  9. beverly

    there are NO symbols on the right column……I know my time of birth but cannot read your chart, no key to the symbols

    1. Mel and Chris

      The key to the symbols is on the left. Also, this chart isn’t going to be as precise as having an astrologer calculate your birth time. Unless you were born on a solstice or equinox. If you want to let us know your date, time and place of birth, we’ll be happy to give you the exact degrees.

    1. Mel and Chris

      Hi Michelle, you didn’t list your place of birth and you really do need an exact birth time. All the best.

  10. Mihaela

    I was born in Brașov, România at 8pm, 3rd of May 1958

    1. Melodie

      Hi Mihaela, if your birth time is exact — as this is important — you are 20 Scorpio rising.

  11. Kate

    Hello guys I was born October 5, 1998 at 6pm in Pampanga, Philippines. Thank you

    1. Melodie

      Hi Kate, we need the city of your birth as well. And is this the time listed on your birth record or is it a ballpark figure? You need the exact birth time to determine your rising sign and degree.

      1. Kate

        It’s Angeles City Pampanga Philippines I was born at October 5, 1998 at exactly 4:30 pm (sorry for the wrong one).

        1. Melodie

          Hi Kate — that’s 20 Pisces rising, with Jupiter retrograde right on your ascendant.

  12. Caitlin

    Hello! I was born on December 31st, 1999, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania at 12:14 AM.

  13. Devon N Wimberley

    Hey I was born November 13th 1984 between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. possibly give or take a few minutes I would like to know what is the best place/website to go to to find out my one true horoscope my email address is devonwimberley333@gmail.com please send me info that would be helpful to figure myself out inside, as well as help me help others.

    Thanks any information would be gratefully and much appreciated Devon N. Wimberley

    1. Melodie

      Hi Devon — you need your place of birth to determine your rising sign too. Also unfortunately a 1 hour window wouldn’t cut it. You really need an exact time.

  14. Stephanie

    Hi,
    I am Stephanie and was born on April 10th 1989 @ 3:01pm in Phoenix, Az.

  15. Annette Eddy

    Hello ladies.

    I was born in Bridgeton Missouri, USA at 7:54am on November 12 1968.

  16. derrick

    november 1st 1985, poplar bluff, Missouri, 2:32 a.m. central time

  17. Johan Smith

    Hi Mel & Chris.

    I was born on First of August 1974 at 02:10am in the town of Tsumeb, Namibia.
    Would be great to hear from you. Thank you. Johan.

  18. Kay

    Hi, I was born 20 March 1980, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK, 17:10 hours, my name is K, thanks

    1. Mel and Chris

      Hi Kay, you’re 9 Virgo 21. And in case you always wondered whether you were a Pisces or Aries sun, it’s 00 Aries 12.

  19. Kathy

    My grandson was born on 8/11/18 @ 8:21pm in sylvania oh! What is his rising sign? He has leo sun& leo moon. Ty, Kathy

    1. Mel and Chris

      Congratulations grandma! Your little grandson was born with six planets retrograde (seven if you count Chiron), and four planets in their own signs (Sun, Venus, saturn and Neptune). He has 14 Aquarius 03 on his ascendant.

  20. Elizabeth clark

    I was born in albany ga at 7 pm on August 20 1980

      1. Melodie

        hi Elizabeth, that’s Aquarius rising.. 5 degrees if the 7pm birth time is correct.

  21. Ulelatul khikmah

    Hi mel i born in 26 october 1993 what is my sun sign, rising sign and moon sign?
    thankyouu very much

    1. Melodie

      Hi Ulelatul — you are Scorpio Sun and Pisces Moon. We can’t tell you your rising sign without a birth time or birth place.

  22. Chantal

    hello! I was born in Beverly, Massachusetts, US on Saturday, October 11th, 1986 at 11:24pm. thank you!

  23. Jessica Martz

    I was born on August 16, 1990 at five thirty in the morning. What is my real sign?

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