Ok so what do the sun, moon and rising signs actually mean and how do you work them out?

Astrology is a big deal on TikTok, the hashtag alone has nearly 20 billion views and the basis of all astrology begins with understanding your birth chart.

The three core elements of your birth chart are the sun, moon and rising signs which when combined together tell you everything you need to know about your personality.

We’ve all heard of sun signs but they’re usually called star signs and whilst this plays a big factor in determining your personality, it’s not the only thing.

The moon and rising signs play a big role in determining your emotions, fears and outward appearance. But what exactly are they and how do you work them out?

This is your quick guide to the sun, moon and rising signs, including how to figure them out:

Sun sign

@amber.astrologySun signs explained – the main one everyone knows!!! Follow for the others! ##zodiac ##fyp ##foryoupage ##astrology♬ Haunted (Instrumental version originally performed by Beyoncé) – Various Artists

This is your main sign that most people will already know and it’s generally what people mean when they refer to your horoscope. It’s the sign you look for in magazines to tell you what kind of month you’re going to have or how aligned you are with your celebrity crush (sadly the stars are never aligned).

The sun is the centre of the solar system and therefore the most core sign for your personality. Astrologer Ashley Otero told Bustle the sun sign is the symbol for “centeredness”.

She said: “Astrologically speaking, the sun in a natal chart is the luminary that symbolises one’s vital life force, spirit, intellect, and identity.

“Being the only star amongst the other nine spheres that our Earth mingles with in space, the sun is the symbol of centeredness, illumination, and life — because without it, we’d cease to exist!”

The sun sign determines your passions, ego, sense of self, sense of creativity and is focused on the big life goals we all hold.

It’s meant to represent what sign the sun was in on the day of your birth and therefore the only thing you need to work out what your sun sign is your date of birth.

Moon sign

@jacquelynsonThe moon sign explained! ##moonsigntraits ##astrology ##zodiacsigns ##astrologypage ##astrologyexplained ##moonsigns ##astrologylessons ##astrologybasics ##fyp♬ Send Me on My Way – Vibe Street

In recent years people have moved away from just talking about their sun sign and embraced the moon sign as well.

Your moon sign represents the more intimate and private parts of your personality. It’s essentially the “real you” as the moon sign reveals your emotions, fears, sense of belonging and memories. The moon sign is all about the side of your personality those closest to you get to experience and understand.

The sign is said to be the “maternal” energy in our charts and often corresponds with the experiences of early stage of life.

Your moon sign is based on which zodiac sign the moon was in when you were born. Because the moon goes through zodiac signs much quicker than the sun, you can be a different moon sign to someone who shares the same sun sign as you.

In order to work out your moon sign you need to know your exact time of birth, time zone, location, the day and year you were born.

Rising sign

@astroloaniRising Signs explained in ~60 seconds! ##astrology ##zodiac ##zodiacsigns ##risingsign ##ascendant ##WinterFit ##fyp♬ Lofi – Domknowz

The third and final part of your birth chart is the rising sign which is sometimes called the “ascendant”.

It’s almost the opposite of the moon sign as it represents the “outer” you whereas the moon represents the most “inner” you. It’s essentially what most people get as their first impression of you, so it’s pretty important you know what it is.

Astrologer Lisa Stardust told Bustle it’s the sign we show to the world. She said: “The rising sign or ascendent is the part of ourselves we show to the world. It’s the face we wear for others to see and view.

“We show off more of who we are by our rising sign, meaning people pick up on the characteristics of this sign more than the other elements of our chart.”

The rising sign is called the rising sign because it is literally based off what sign was on the horizon as you were born. In order to find it out you’re going to need the exact time and date of your birth.

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