Most people know their zodiac sign; the sign the sun was in at birth. And the vast majority also know at least some of the most common (and sometimes somewhat condemning) descriptions of the various signs. "Well, you're a Scorpio? Huh, so you must be the jealous type" or "Taurus? Well, they're stubborn." The Water Bearer (also called Aquarius) doesn't like being boxed in - but aren't they a little weird too, or do they just want to do things their own way? There may be truth in the fixed "personality types", but the reality is somewhat more complicated. A zodiac sign has many nuances and expressions. And not only that, you are not only your zodiac sign! A horoscope actually contains all 12 signs, however planets and aspects show how and to what degree they unfold.
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A horoscope contains many elements and can quickly become too complex. But if you know your sun sign (zodiac sign), your ascendant and your moon sign, you have already come a long way.
But do you even know your ascendant? The ascendant depends on the exact time and place of birth and is the term for the "rising sign", i.e. the point in our solar system that is due east at the exact moment of birth. The eastern horizon naturally changes depending on where on earth you are. This is the explanation why it is important to know the time of birth. But as you know, the earth also rotates once around itself in one day - while the zodiac signs (ecliptic) stay where they are! This means that the ascendant moves through all signs in a day.
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The Ascendant is your outward person and is other people's first impression of you. It is our "expression" and style, the way we carry ourselves, our facial expressions and gesticulations. The ascendant is expressed in the meeting with the outside world. If your sun sign and your ascendant are very different, it is therefore not uncommon for people who don't know you very well to see your ascendant first. However, the Ascendant is more than your "facade". It says a lot about how you navigate through life and what "filter" you see the world through. The planet that rules your ascendant sign also says something about the type of activities you develop through.
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The ascendant, like the sun, is absolutely central to being able to read a horoscope. If you know your exact time and place of birth, you can easily calculate it online - you can, for example, google "calculate ascendant", or usewww.astro.com, where you can both see and save your horoscope and get more basic information completely free of charge.
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The ascendant
The first impression, your style and your "filter"
You probably already know your zodiac sign; the sign the sun was in when you were born. But do you also know your ascendant? A horoscope consists of many sub-elements and can quickly become complex to interpret. A good place to start is to get a basic understanding of your zodiac sign and ascendant.
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The ascendant constitutes1. house tip(the start of the 1st house) and has significance for the placement of all 12 houses that your horoscope consists of. Your date of birth alone does not tell you anything about your ascendant. The sign (and degree) of your ascendant depends on the exactpoint in timeandplace, you were born.
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What is an ascendant?
The Ascendant is the term for the "rising sign" when you were born, the sign that at the moment of birth was due east from where you were born. The eastern horizon naturally changes depending on where on earth you are. That's the explanation why it matters, where you are born. But as you know, the earth also rotates once around itself in one day - and the zodiac signs (ecliptic) stay where they are! During the course of a day, the rising sign - the ascendant - therefore moves through all 12 signs! In order to determine the ascendant, it is therefore necessary to know, what time you are born.
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The astrological meaning of your ascendant
The ascendant is expressed in your encounter with the outside world. The Ascendant is your "mask" to the outside - other people's first impression of you. You could say that the ascendant shows your 'style'; the way you appear to others, your facial expressions and gestures. People who don't know you that well see your ascendant first, then the rest of your horoscope.
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However, the Ascendant is more than just a facade.It says a lot about how you navigate through life and what "filter" you see the world through.
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You express your zodiac sign and the rest of your horoscope through your ascendant
The planet associated with the sign of your ascendant is also important. Among other things, it tells you something about the type of activities you develop through. And if you have one or more planets close to your ascendant, they also nuance the overall picture.
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How do I find my ascendant?
If you know your exact time and place of birth, you can find out for yourself what your ascendant is. If you simply want to know the sign of your ascendant, you can find a calculator on the web - for example, try googling "calculate ascendant". On www.astro.com you can both view and save your horoscope. Clickhereto watch an instructional video showing how to look up your horoscope.
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Don't know your date of birth?
If you do not have information about your date of birth from e.g. your baptismal certificate or 'child's book', and you cannot get help from your parents, you may still be able to get help. From 1 January 2021, it has become free to order your own or your child's date of birthThe National Archives. However, this is not an option if you were born abroad.
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Do you want to know more?
In collaboration with Aller Media, I have made a short video about the ascendant, which is illustrated and told in an easy-to-understand way. You can watch the videohere.
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There are also many who ask me whether the Sun or the ascendant is more important when looking at current transits, e.g. at new moon and full moon. So if, for example, you are a Libra with a Virgo Ascendant, what does it mean for you that there is a new moon in the sign of Pisces? I made a video about that and you can watch ithere.
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