What Is Your Sun, Moon and Rising Sign—and What Do They Mean for You?
Updated: Mar. 14, 2024
Have you discovered your sun, moon and rising signs? Get ready to dive into a fascinating astrological rabbit hole.
Astrology is an ancient tool that helps us learn more about ourselves and our loved ones. The stars can help guide us on a more positive path to the future. But did you know there’s more to astrology than your familiar zodiac sign? Together, your sun, moon and rising sign represent your personality—and tell you a lot about your zodiac compatibility.
In general, the sun sign (your main zodiac sign) is your archetype, while the moon sign governs your emotional nature and the rising sign is your outward persona—what you put out into the world. Your chart is specific to you—it may be well-balanced or weighted heavily by one zodiac element. Or perhaps it’s loaded with the happiest or luckiest zodiac signs.
While you’re at it, also find out what this spring’s solar eclipse means for your zodiac sign.
In my experience as a longtime astrologer, it’s illuminating to examine your sun, mood and rising placements separately and then synthesize them for a more precise message. The more you know about the different parts of your chart, the better you can understand yourself and make decisions. It is also just plain fun to learn about the signs of your loved ones to see what insight you can gather about them. Here’s what to know about your “big three.”
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Why is it important to know your sun, moon and rising sign?
Your sun, moon and rising sign can reveal a different part of your nature. Think about it this way: We all contain multitudes, right? (Thanks, Walt Whitman!) Perhaps you work in IT for a large corporation, but you’re also a poet and you speak two languages. You were born in Boston but raised in London. Just as these biographical facts serve as puzzle pieces to better understanding you, so, too, do your sun, moon and rising signs.
So how do you know your specific signs? A birth chart will tell you that. Birth charts use the exact date, time and location of your birth to map the planets’ placements at that moment. They go beyond your sun sign, and the different areas of your chart round out your character.
What is your sun sign?
Your sun sign (also known as your zodiac sign or star sign) is your archetype, your overall presence in the world. Are you a bold Aries, ramming ahead with courage and impetuousness? Are you a subdued and stubborn Taurus who is easy be around, but won’t be pushed around? Your sun sign gives your overall “role” in life—it’s your baseline personality. Here’s a basic list of the qualities of each sign.
Your sun traits
- Aries: Bold and direct, a fiery go-getter
- Taurus: Stable, calm and sensual
- Gemini: A great communicator who likes to have fun
- Cancer: A homebody who is full of heart
- Leo: Terrific leader, with a romantic charismatic nature
- Virgo: Detail-oriented and down-to-earth
- Libra: Cerebral and artistic, with a deep desire for companionship
- Scorpio: Intense and emotional, loyal and perceptive
- Sagittarius: Always on the move, with a taste for travel
- Capricorn: Serious and success-oriented, with great organizational skills
- Aquarius: Community and friend-oriented, with a love of technology
- Pisces: Compassionate, dreamy and creative
What is your moon sign?
Your moon sign reveals your emotional nature. It can give you insights into what your heart craves. Moon signs are like inner guidance systems advising us where to go, whom to be with and what to do. Logic is important, but feelings and the unconscious override it. So make your moon sign your best friend and be loyal to it.
If your moon is in Cancer, it may indicate that home and trust are of the utmost importance to you. Do you have moon in Sagittarius? You likely desire adventure. Your moon sign may not be obvious—it whispers to the world who you are, but only your closest friends can intuit these deeper aspects of your soul. Make sure to treat your moon sign’s needs as you would a child. Nurture yourself by being true to your feelings.
Your moon traits
- Aries: Brash, attention-loving, will stand up for what’s right
- Taurus: Sedentary, balanced and tactile
- Gemini: Curious about everyone and everything
- Cancer: Introverted and nurturing
- Leo: Craves the spotlight and is loyal to a fault
- Virgo: Shows care through acts of service
- Libra: Scared of conflict, cheery and loves to please
- Scorpio: Deep and able to keep loved ones’ secrets, hot-tempered
- Sagittarius: Needs freedom and always up for a party
- Capricorn: Plays the long game and commands respect
- Aquarius: Truly cares about the world; good to friends, distant with lovers
- Pisces: Giving and creative, overly maudlin at times
What is your rising sign?
Your rising sign, also known as your ascendant, reveals your outward persona. Think of it like a scent you wear that people unconsciously associate with you.
People may treat you like your ascendant, but it’s only one part of you—the outer part—so put your moon sign’s needs first. Do you have mysterious and powerful Scorpio rising? Is your rising sign Gemini, making you seem chatty and light? The rising also rules your physical presence in the world. Capricorn rising is often associated with good bone structure, while Libra rising is known for symmetrical facial features.
Fun fact: If your “big three” (sun, moon and rising) are in the same element (fire, earth, air or water), you are apt to be a supercharged version of it. You probably will need to balance out your nature a bit. For instance, if you are heavily influenced by water, you may need to surround yourself with people who are heavy on other elements.
Your rising traits
- Aries: Exudes passion, excitement and is the first to volunteer. Don’t reign in your opinions; you’re too brave for that.
- Taurus: Effortlessly attractive and a great cook. Don’t allow others to borrow money from you. Your frugality sets an example.
- Gemini: Tapped into the current culture and a quick learner. The more languages you study the better.
- Cancer: Moods are connected to the moon. It’s best to say “no” to conserve energy; save the “yes” for those you love most.
- Leo: A fabulous laugh and sense of style. Every party needs you as a guest, so show up!
- Virgo: Tuned in to nature. Feng shui your environment in minimalist style.
- Libra: Balanced features and a great sense of aesthetics. Don’t be afraid to express discontent.
- Scorpio: Seductive, master of the “smolder.” You can ask the penetrating questions—people know they can trust you.
- Sagittarius: Best sense of humor—ever! Use your good cheer to lift the spirits of your loved ones.
- Capricorn: Fabulous bone structure and a great memory. Make your long-term plans, but master the pivot as well.
- Aquarius: Unlike anyone else in the room—or on the planet! Appreciate your own uniqueness; you are an inspiring individual.
- Pisces: Prone to gloomy moods and high-highs. To keep your moods stable, take walks and move your body.
How to find your sun, moon and rising signs
To find your sun, moon and rising signs, you’ll want to create a birth chart, which maps the planets’ placements at the time and place you were born. Astrologers use a book called an ephemeris, which provides charts of what each planet was in on a particular day at a particular time. (Thankfully, there are plenty of apps and online resources that can do the same—I like the iphemeris app for iPhones and the Astromix website.)
If you have your date, time and city of birth, that is ideal to create your birth chart. You simply plug in the information, et voila! The chart is calculated for you. If you don’t have your time of birth, that’s OK. You will still get 85% to 90% of your chart covered. You just won’t know your rising sign. If you have a general idea (like your mom says “middle of the night”), you can sleuth it out intuitively. As an astrologer, I always tell a client who doesn’t have their time of birth to just do a solar chart. It won’t have a rising sign, but it will cover most everything else. Think of it like a photograph in which you see yourself from the calves up. You won’t likely get anything wrong, you’ll just miss a little.
What other astrological elements influence your behavior?
Of course, beyond your sun, moon and rising sign, there are other parts of your chart that are important in different ways. Is your chart very earth-heavy (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), making you good at adulting? Do you have a lot of air in your chart (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)? If so, you may approach things from an ultra-rational point of view. If you have a lot of fire in your chart (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius), you may be extra action-oriented and enthusiastic. And if you are heavy with water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) you likely follow your heart and are very perceptive. The zodiac element that dominates your chart can reveal more about your nature, in addition to your sun, moon and rising signs.
Your sister signs can also provide intel on who you are and how you operate. Your sister sign is the sign that sits opposite your sun. You two are like opposite sides of the same coin and share an unspoken bond. You tend to understand each other very well, but also argue hard when you disagree. Take note of the sister signs:
- Aries and Libra
- Taurus and Scorpio
- Gemini and Sagittarius
- Cancer and Capricorn
- Leo and Aquarius
- Virgo and Pisces
Maybe you tend to be on the melancholy side. Your sister sign may balance you out by being one of the happiest zodiac signs. Finally, the signs that come right before or after you and tend to pop up in your Mercury and Venus placements can also affect your behavior. Mercury is the planet of communication, and Venus is the planet of love. You could be a Libra with Mercury in Scorpio, which may make you more direct and intense than the typical Libra. Or you could be a Pisces with Venus in Aquarius, making you a little lighter in matters of love than the usual Pisces.
Your chart is full of rich information (even beyond your sun, moon and rising signs)—happy exploring! When you’re done, learn what is your life path number and what it means for you.
Originally Published: December 25, 2023
