We have talked a whole lot about sun signs and explained the significance of your moon sign; now it is time to complete your astrological personality trifecta by decoding your rising sign. As you might remember, your birth chart is basically a snapshot of the sky at the exact moment you were born. In technical terms your rising sign–or “ascendent,” as it is often called–is the sign that was rising over the Eastern horizon at your time of birth. Your rising sign is a very important part of your astrological personality profile. It illustrates your outward self: a social mask of sorts…

Your rising sign influences people’s first impression of you, how you interact socially, and how you view and relate to others. Example: when we first met, we didn’t like each other at all. Winona thought Katelyn was too serious and logical; Katelyn thought Winona was too perky and superficial. Once we got to know each other better (and ultimately became best friends), we realized we had really been judging each other’s rising signs–Katelyn’s rising sign is critical, reserved Virgo, while Winona’s is flighty, chatty Libra. Terrible first impressions were pretty much inevitable!

The self you project to the world is most often a perfectly balanced blend of your rising sign and your sun sign. Your ascendant is a very important part of your personality and how you function in the world. The main thing to keep in mind when learning about your rising sign is that unlike your sun and moon sign, your rising sign reflects a more superficial, outward personality. Having a Sagittarius ascendant will not make you a Sagittarius, but it will probably help you relate to and attract Sagittarians.

Ready to find out your rising sign? You’ll need the exact time and place of your birth, which you can plug into a rising sign calculator like this one. Once you’ve got it, check out this quick overview of the way your rising sign is reflected in your personality profile:

An Aries Rising makes you appear more… open, lively, independent, and dominant.

A Taurus Rising makes you appear more… calm, steady, self-contained, and centered.

A Gemini Rising makes you appear more… talkative, witty, positive, and curious.

A Cancer Rising makes you appear more… shy, subtle, kind, and intuitive.

A Leo Rising makes you appear more… magnetic, expressive, strong, and eloquent.

A Virgo Rising makes you appear more… reserved, observant, analytical, and nervous.

A Libra Rising makes you appear more… charming, optimistic, socially adept, and accepting.

A Scorpio Rising makes you appear more… secretive, quiet, brooding, and mysterious.

A Sagittarius Rising makes you appear more… jovial, direct, opinionated, and honest.

A Capricorn Rising makes you appear more… diligent, controlled, serious, and detail oriented.

An Aquarius Rising makes you appear more… idealistic, progressive, contrary, and friendly.

A Pisces Rising makes you appear more… romantic, sensitive, vague, and adaptable.