Astrology is the complex study that uses the planets and zodiac signs to forecast themes and upcoming events. Astrology is the study of astronomical positions of the celestial bodies and their correlation with the events on earth. Astrologers (and those who follow astrology) believe that by understanding the influence between the planets and the natural world, they can predict potential future events. Many cultures have practiced astrology for centuries and have created their own variations of the practice such as Chinese, Vedic, Tibetan, and Western.
What Is the Difference Between Your Sun, Moon, and Rising Signs?
Your sun, moon, and rising signs are considered “the big three” in astrology. They represent the three most important parts of your identity: your core self (sun), your inner-self (moon) and how others perceive you (rising). These three signs can fall in the same sign or be completely different—but the three of them together have a major influence on you.
Your sun sign is the sign most people are familiar with, as it’s derived from our birthdays. The sun remains in a sign for about 30 days, so the day you were born determines this sign. Because the sun represents identity, self, and life purpose, this sign suggests how you feel about yourself, your values, and the way you look at the world. Basically, your sun sign captures your essence and radiates out into the world.
Your moon sign is not as well-known as your sun sign, but it’s still very important to your overall personality as it represents what we need to feel secure, comfortable, and loved. It influences behavior in ways you might not be aware of because it typically rules your emotional responses to things. Unlike your sun sign, you need to know the date and location of your birth to get an accurate moon sign.
Your rising sign also known as your “ascendant” is the sign that was ascending on the eastern horizon the exact moment you were born. The rising sign is determined by the time, date, and location of your birth. It’s the reason why birth times are so incredibly important. Your ascendant represents your public identity. You can see its influence in your appearance, attitude, and overall persona. Because of that, it’s the first impression you make on others.
What Are the Different Planets in Astrology?
Is Astrology a Science?
While most people consider astrology to be a pseudoscience, it does overlap with both astronomy and psychology. Astrologers use astronomy to track the movements of planets and asteroids (when a planet turns retrograde, when a transit occurs, studying the moon phases, and so on). They need to know where all the constellations are located, how long it takes for a planet to move through a sign, and particularly, where all the celestial bodies are in the sky right this moment. Astrologers also use a frequent amount of math to calculate the exact angles of the planets in order to determine aspects. It’s with this information that astrologers are able to analyze accordingly.
Astrologers are also practitioners of psychology. When Venus enters Cancer, what does that mean for someone whose sun is in Leo and their Venus is in Cancer? How does that affect their behaviors in relationships? And how do their childhood wounds affect how they will react to these new relationship changes? Astrologers are trained to see patterns and cycles—not only in the cosmos, but with people. Picking up someone’s pattern of behavior just from their charts, they can then give advice based on what they see in the sky.