Rising and Moon Signs: The Keys to Unlocking Your Astrological Profile

For astrology fans, we know that celestial bodies play a significant role in shaping our personalities, preferences, and paths. Among these cosmic influences, the sun sign is perhaps the most popularly known. It represents the astrological sign that aligned with the sun at the time of your birth. But what about your rising and moon sign? Many people aren’t familiar with these signs or what they represent.

The rising and moon signs hold insights into your identity and can serve as a key to a deeper understanding of your inner self. The rising sign, or Ascendant, represents how you present yourself to the world and how others perceive you. It’s like the mask you wear in public, often influencing first impressions.

On the other hand, your moon sign reveals your emotional, intuitive side, reflecting how you react to life’s ups and downs. It uncovers your deepest needs and desires, often hidden from the outside world.

Let’s take a deeper dive into these signs and what they represent in your birth chart.

The Big Three Signs and Your Birth Chart

The “big three” signs in astrology are the sun, moon, and rising signs. These signs make up the core of a person’s identity as how they are perceived in the world. Whichever zodiac signs you have in these three placements can give an idea of who you are and how you come across.

These signs are then followed by the personal planets. Overall, these are determined not only by your birthdate but also by time of birth. The rest of these signs are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. All of these planets (even Pluto, which yes, isn’t technically a planet anymore), including the sun and the moon, rule over certain aspects of a person’s life.

Rising Signs

A rising sign in astrology refers to the zodiac sign that reflects the outer you or how others see you. This sign was what was rising on the Eastern horizon when you were born. For instance, your zodiac sign (or sun sign, in this case) is Cancer, yet you hear people tell you that you don’t seem like your sign. Chances are, they’re perceiving the rising sign.

In a way, your rising sign is like the mask you wear when you deal with people. This mask hides your true self until someone gets to know you a lot better.

You’ll need your birth time when calculating how you can find your rising sign. (Create a customized birth chart here to reveal your rising and moon signs.)

Moon Signs

If the rising sign represents your outer self, then your moon sign represents the inner you. This sign reflects how you are when you’re alone and how you see yourself. Moon signs also indicate how you process and express your emotions and what you need to feel comfortable.

Moon signs are considered to be one of the three most important signs on your birth chart, and it’s an important sign to consider as far as compatibility is concerned. 

Depending on how you process and express your emotions will also explain how you process your vulnerable side. Your desires and impulses come into play with your moon sign. However, your sun and rising signs will reflect how you express them to the world.

The Types of Rising Signs

You’ve probably heard that each of the zodiac signs belongs to one of the four basic elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Earth signs are made up of Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn, while Air signs are made up of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. Fire signs are made up of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. Water signs are made up of Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.

If your rising sign is an earth sign, then it suggests that you present yourself as no-fuss and pragmatic. This type of rising sign placement also appreciates the finer things in life. They may also give off the impression of being a little materialistic. But that is only because you have a love of the world around you.

If your rising sign is an air sign, that suggests being seen as warm and friendly. This type of rising placement is known for being talkative and good at communication. People tend to be drawn to people with this kind of rising sign in social settings.

For fire rising signs, they may seem confrontational and blunt at first. They are perceived as confident, self-assured, and the life of the party. Those with Fire signs as their rising signs are good at making sure everyone around them is having a good time. They also come across as extroverted even if they feel more introverted.

And if your rising sign is a water sign, then you might be seen as empathic and sensitive. People with water signs as their rising sign are usually known for being the carer of the group. They are immediately known for being compassionate, yet retain an air of mystery about them.

The Types of Moon Signs

Similar to how rising signs are grouped by their elements, moon signs are also. Each zodiac sign is grouped into one of the four elements. To find out your noon sign, you’ll need to know your time of birth. The time of birth is essential as you may have a different moon sign by just a few minutes.

You can calculate your birth chart here, which will reveal your moon sign. It will also explain a little bit about what your moon sign means for you.

If your moon sign is an earth sign, then it can mean you react to changing experiences with some steadiness. You tend to feel aligned with your inner world when you’re productive and working to achieve a goal.

If your moon sign is an air sign, then it suggests that you react with discernment and objectivity. This is when it comes to changing experiences as well. This type of moon sign tends to feel most in tune with their inner world when they get to express their ideas and interact.

If your moon sign is a fire sign, then you tend to react with direct action and enthusiasm. People with fire signs as their moon sign tend to be most aligned with their inner world when they are confident. They steer clear of the negative self-talk as they show their strength.

Lastly, if your moon sign is a water sign, you may be deeply sensitive and emotional. This especially applies to changing experiences. If your feelings are deeply involved, that’s when you feel more centered with yourself.

Have questions about your sun, moon, or rising sign? Let us know in the comment section below.