Sun sign, Moon sign or rising sign: which matters most?

Most people know their Sun sign from the newspaper, but a full chart has three main signs. Each tells you something different. Which one matters most depends on which tradition you follow, Western or Vedic.

Sun sign

The sign the Sun was in at your birth. It shows your core identity, your drive and how you shine. In the West, this is the headline sign and the one used in magazine horoscopes.

Moon sign

The sign the Moon was in. It shows your feelings, your inner needs and how you respond to the world when you are relaxed. In Vedic astrology, the Moon sign, or rashi, is the main sign for horoscopes, matching and timing.

Rising sign

The sign on the eastern horizon at birth, also called the ascendant or lagna. It shows how you come across, your body and your approach to life. It also sets the houses of the whole chart, so it shapes every reading.

How the traditions weigh them

• Western: Sun, Moon and rising sign are all used. The Sun sign leads.
• Vedic: the rising sign and Moon sign lead, and the Sun sign matters less.

Finding all three

You need your date, exact time and place of birth. The Sun sign needs only the date, the Moon sign usually needs the date and place, and the rising sign needs the exact time. Vedic signs are calculated in the sidereal zodiac and often differ by one sign from the Western ones.

If you do not know your birth time, start with the Moon sign. It changes only every two to three days and still says a lot about you.