What is the ascendant?

The sun rises on the eastern horizon. We can follow the movement of the sun as it climbs higher in the sky and then sets in the West. The sun’s path, or the ecliptic, circles the earth like a ribbon. The ecliptic moves cross constellations of stars, the zodiac signs.

This circle is divided into twelve segments, each of which is assigned to a sign of the zodiac. Because the Earth turns on its own axis, the sun and all twelve signs move across the sky in one day. Approximately every two hours, a new zodiac sign passes the eastern horizon.

Let’s assume it’s the end of June and the sun is in the sign Cancer. At sunrise, the sun in the sign Cancer will pass the eastern horizon. The point at which the sun’s path meets the eastern horizon is called the ascendant.

About two hours later, the next sign, Leo, will rise on the eastern horizon. If, on this day and place, a person is born around two hours after sunrise, their ascendant will be in the sign Leo.

It’s possible, then, that if someone whose “sun sign” is Cancer is born in the afternoon, the sun will be in the sign Cancer, but their ascendant will be in the sign Scorpio, because at the exact time of their birth, Scorpio was passing the eastern horizon.

The ascendant – and not the sun sign – is the most important factor in a birth horoscope. It is the starting point for every interpretation of a natal chart. The astrologer determines which planet is “assigned” to the ascendant and the position of that planet in the horoscope. It’s also important to know whether, according to astrological criteria, the planet is strong or weak and, for instance, what other planets might support or damage it. Using this approach, the astrologer can obtain valuable information about the person and interpret the chart accurately.