Ascendant Hours
Magdalena Liendo
Because the ascendant is specific to a particular time and place, to astrologers it signifies the individual environment and conditioning that a person receives during their upbringing, and also the circumstances of their childhood.[2] For this reason, astrologers consider that the ascendant is also concerned with how a person has learned to present themself to the world, especially in public and in impersonal situations.[citation needed]
The ascendant, from an astrological point of view, is the value of the ecliptical geocentric longitude (or celestial longitude, λ) which is easterly on the horizon. This intersection of the horizon with the ecliptic can be calculated from:
Otherwise a direct result in the correct quadrant can be determined if calculator or programming software has the atan2(y,x) math function[further explanation needed] and then using the last rule.
For latitudes north of the Arctic Circle (or south of the Antarctic Circle), the ascendant function has two discontinuity points, occurring at instants where the horizon and the ecliptic planes do not intersect. Between those instants, the ascendant's longitude actually decreases.
Because the Earth's axis is tilted relative to the ecliptic (see axial tilt), the twelve signs do not take the same amount of time to cross the eastern horizon. At the equator, there is very little difference (Pisces, Aries, Virgo and Libra take slightly less time than the other signs), but as one moves from the equator, larger and larger differences emerge.
In the northern hemisphere, the signs of Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini take much less time than the theoretical two hours to cross the eastern horizon, whilst the signs of Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius take much longer than two hours to do so. For example, at the latitude of Paris, France:
Astrologers consider the differences between the rate at which the signs ascend to be of importance. In many house systems, houses can become very large when they cover Aquarius, Pisces, Aries and Taurus because these signs are seen to be much smaller from the perspective of a northern hemisphere observer.
Some astrologers, such as Richard Nolle, consider the preponderance of ascendants in signs from Cancer through Sagittarius (known as the western signs) to be symbolic of the relationship-oriented character inherent in the northern hemisphere and ascendants in the signs from Capricorn through Gemini (known as the eastern signs) to be symbolic of the more individual-oriented character in the southern hemisphere.[8]
At the Arctic and Antarctic circles, at roughly 66.5 north and south latitude respectively, a degree of the ecliptic becomes circumpolar. If the sun, for example, occupies that degree, it will neither rise nor set, but will lie upon the horizon for twenty-four hours. As we move into higher latitudes, more and more degrees of the ecliptic will neither rise nor set until at the north pole where half of the ecliptic degrees will not rise above the horizon and can never become the ascendant. Therefore, the omission of extreme latitudes from most house tables due to the added complexity of calculating the ascendant implies that there is no ascendant at these latitudes. This is of course untrue, yet there is a limitation on the degrees that can ascend at extreme latitudes and a further restriction on degrees that can form house cusps in time-based house systems. The simpler and earlier ecliptic-based house systems can form house cusps at extreme latitudes based on the available ascendant and midheaven degrees.[9]
Another factor concerning the effect of the ascendant is the theory that people become more like their sun sign after around 29 years old, as they grow older and more confident, as the sun embodies essential ego energy and self-esteem, and thus perhaps have less of a need to present a public face to others. It is also theorised that when the progressed ascendant moves into the following sign, it weakens the influence of the natal ascendant.
Planets have added importance in the birth chart due to their relationship to the ascendant.[11] The planet that rules the astrological sign of the ascendant is called the chart ruler and is said to be of particular importance. So for example, if the ascendant sign is Gemini, Mercury will be the chart ruler, and so "set the tone" for the chart in many ways. In addition, the planet nearest the ascendant, especially located in the first house, is usually called the rising planet and has a particular significance in the chart. However, if a planet in the twelfth house is very close to (within one or two degrees of) the ascendant, then it can be interpreted as the rising planet instead. If a planet is actually in conjunction with the ascendant (within the same degree as the ascendant), it then becomes vitally important in its effect on the personality, to the extent of being as important as the sun. Finally, any planets in the first house will always have an added emphasis.
The fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are noted for their energy, enthusiasm and optimism. When a fire sign is on the ascendant the outer manner is friendly, uncritical and non-hostile. They typically send out friendly but serious and competent signals which draw out a friendly and rather respectful response from others. Aries rising gives out a well-organized, slightly stern bearing. Leo rising subjects have a dignified and rather formal manner which inspires confidence, while Sagittarius risers have a cheerful, pleasant and rather witty outer manner which suits all kinds of situations.
Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn ascendants are usually considered calm and stress-resistant individuals. The effect of the earth sign ascendant make people more material, reserved and collected, they don't tend to show their emotions and can be or appear to be cold. This particular effect is manifested to the least extent in Taurus sign. Each of the earth signs ascendants are usually thrifty and good with planning things beforehand.
The air signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are noted for their communication skills. When an air sign is on the ascendant the subject is friendly and sociable, but also independent and somewhat detached. The Gemini riser is constantly busy, fully engaged in a kind of juggling act, with at least a dozen activities on the go at any one time. The Libra riser occupies themself with business schemes which often need the aid of a more earthy partner to make them come to fruition. The Aquarius riser makes wonderful plans for themselves or others and may even carry some of them out.
The water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are noted for their emotion, intuition and feeling. When a water sign is on the ascendant the subject will hide their true feelings and have a strong need to protect themselves from the world around them. What you see is often not what you get with water ascendants. In other words, the signals they send out are consciously or unconsciously chosen for effect. Cancerians appear chatty and helpful and they do well in any situation that requires tact. Scorpio risers can use many different forms of camouflage with people they do not know, one of their favourites being offensiveness and an off-putting manner. Pisces risers appear soft, gentle, self-sacrificing and sometimes even helpless, but this is misleading, as they will fight strongly for what they think is right. Pisces are also known to be highly emotional and the most intuitive of the twelve signs.
No hour of birth was given on Tchaikovsky's birth certificate, as this information was not normally recorded in records of the time. Nor do we know exactly how tall he was, apart from Russian references to him being of medium height, and American commentators who tended to describe him as "tall". But most contemporary descriptions agree that his hair was dark in colour, and his eyes were pale blue.
"The ascendant in Gemini, creates a deep inner conflict, because the rectitude of Taurus contrasts with the superficiality of Gemini. You are attached to money, and dedicated to the worship of beauty."
If you want people to take any of this stuff seriously then someone should do studies on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and see if indeed being born under a certain sign is indicative of this or that character trait..and what kind of friends they had and what was their worldly fortune. If you were to ask me I would say we are what we are because of our genetic background coupled with our environment especially in youth and education...
As per Rien....music is the work of the imagination, while astrology is supposed to be a science,,,,there is indeed a scientific basis for everything,,,,and one must distinguish between imaginary wish fulfillment and the real. Primitive man where these notions came about simple could not distinguish between the two..fantasy and reality...witness all the different religions we have.....people will believe in whatever suits their convenience and call that truth...
If you are one of those people that never identified with your sun sign, learning your moon sign and rising sign can help it make a lot more sense and feel a lot less general. Before I became really interested in Astrology, I found many of the horoscopes related to my sun sign to be quite general, but when you dive into your birth chart and look at your other signs, it feels much more personal and accurate in describing your personality.
This zodiac sign describes your core self, your strongest personality traits, and your natural gifts and abilities. This is the strongest sign, and the reason why it is the most commonly talked about zodiac sign. Exploring your sun sign can really help you understand your sense of self and identify some key factors in your unique personality.
The below images from the Bedside Astrologer will give you a rough estimate of where the moon was in relation to your birth date and year, but for the most accurate reading, identify the exact time of birth and use a moon sign calculator that allows you to enter your birth time. This will help you pinpoint your exact moon sign.