Rising sign, sun sign, moon sign – what’s the difference?
WHEN anyone asks us what star sign we are we’ll usually tell them our sun sign, which is the one we reference in our horoscope every day to find out if Keith from Accounts is a keeper.
However, we are so much more than that. Our rising and moon signs play a huge part in our cosmic make-up, but what do they really mean?
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Sun worshipper
Sun signs are the most popular part of our chart when we look at astrology.
For many of us it’s the only sign we know and therefore relate to and there’s a good reason for that.
The sun is the centre of our solar system and as such your sun sign represents the heart of who you are.
It rules your sense of self, ego and basically how much of a goal digger you are.
When it comes to your make-up, your sun sign represents the core of you.
If you want to confirm where it is, all you need is the month and date of your birth.
List of 12 star signs
The traditional dates used by Mystic Meg for each sign are below.
- Capricorn: December 22 – January 20
- Aquarius: January 21 – February 18
- Pisces: February 19 – March 20
- Aries: March 21 – April 20
- Taurus: April 21 – May 21
- Gemini: May 22 – June 21
- Cancer: June 22 – July 22
- Leo: July 23 – August 23
- Virgo: August 24 – September 22
- Libra: September 23 – October 23
- Scorpio: October 24 – November 22
- Sagittarius: November 23 – December 21
Rising star
Our rising sign – also known as the ascendant sign – is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon the moment you were born.
This sign reveals more about the “outer” you, and is what most people see as their first impression of you.
To calculate your rising sign, you’ll need your star sign and the hour that you were born.
Astrologer Lisa Stardust told Bustle: “The rising sign or ascendent is the part of ourselves we show to the world. It’s the face we wear for others to see and view.
“We show off more of who we are by our rising sign, meaning people pick up on the characteristics of this sign more than the other elements of our chart.”
Moon mood
Your moon sign represents your emotions and mood – good or bad.
This is especially true for women, according to Lunarium, since the Moon in astrology is the patroness of women.
According to starslikeyou.com: “In many ways, your moon sign will describe what you do naturally, and your sun sign will point to what you will develop, as well as who you must become.”
It’s basically the sign that gets you all up in your feelings, regardless of how strong your sun or rising sign might be.
Your moon sign is determined by calculating your full date, place and time of birth and finding your position around the moon.
It moves quickly around the zodiac, visiting each sign for around two to two and a half days.
Your moon sign is likely to be different from your sun sign – i.e. you might be a Taurus, but your lunar sign might be in Sagittarius.
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We’ve found out our sun, moon and rising signs and were surprised by the results.
If you’ve ever wondered why people make a similar first impression of you or you have a non-Taurus/Aries-like emotional soft centre, find out your rising and moon signs.
It might give you a bit more guidance on how to navigate life using your trusty cosmic compass.