It’s safe to say that most of us know what our star sign is. The day of our birth correlates with one of twelve signs (the sun sign) and can reveal to us a blueprint of our personality, aspirations, and even our love lives. However, chances are that as well as your sun sign, you’ve come across the terms ‘moon sign’ and ‘rising sign’ too. But you may be wondering, ‘What is my rising sign?’ or ‘What is my moon sign?’.
Often referred to as ‘the big three’, knowing your moon and rising sign can give you a clearer picture of who you are as a person than just knowing your sun sign.
Read on to learn everything you need to know about the sun, moon, and rising signs.
Sun signs
Every month of the year, the sun moves into one of 12 zodiac signs. Your sun sign is determined by what day and month you were born, though it’s also important to note that the sun does not always move into the zodiac signs on the same day every year either.
For example, the Sagittarius season is typically from about November 22 to about December 21, so if your birthday falls between these times, you’re a Sagittarius sun.
In astrology, your sun sign can indicate your core identity, motivations, as well as your personality traits. It’s why when you meet people who share your sun sign, you might find you’ll have sweeping personality traits in common. For example, if you’re a Cancer, you might find that you are emotionally deep, nurturing and a little goofy.
Moon signs
As well as having a sun sign, all of us also have a moon sign as well. Unlike the blinding gleam of the sun, which illuminates the boldest parts of our personalities, your moon sign instead describes your inner emotional side.
For example, someone with a vivacious and unabashed Leo sign might be tempered by a highly sensitive Pisces moon.
Because the moon moves much more frequently than the sun at about 13.5 degrees per day, you’ll need to know what time you were born in order to calculate your moon sign.
Rising signs
The final piece of the big three is your rising sign. Your rising sign depends on which zodiac sign was rising on the horizon when you were born. Because this changes every two or so hours, it’s important to know what time of day you were born in order to accurately calculate your rising sign.
If the sun sign is your core identity and the moon sign is your inner emotions, then your rising sign can be thought of as the external mask you present to the world. This is why sometimes a person might incorrectly guess your sun sign based on how you present yourself in social situations.
However, the rising sign is an important piece of the astrology puzzle because it reveals the skills, talents, and strategies that you use as you wade through your life.
