What’s My Sun Sign, Rising Sign, Moon Sign

The Sun Sign based Western Astrology you see and know of comes from this system. It lays importance to the apparent movement of the Sun around the Earth. It shows the surface level reality i.e. what people see of you (including what your Ego perceives as itself). All planets including the Ascendant will have some tropical sign in your calculated birth report.  However it is recommended to see your Rising sign based Western Astrology if you happen to know your birth time accurate to 15-30 minutes or so. If you don’t have access to rising sign due to not knowing time, you can see your Moon Sign based Western Astrology which requires at least the day of birth to be known (enter any random birth time). Sun sign based Western astrology gives a broad prediction. Nevertheless, it is important to see the Sun Sign predictions with regards to Saturn, Jupiter, Nodes and the Eclipses for these reveal important insights.

So you should see rising > moon > sun and especially rising & sun. If you are short on time, just read the predictions for your rising sign. When you have considerably important problems in Business, Job, Health or Marital relations – do check the Sun sign prediction too.

Another thing to consider is that If you have a stellium(bunch of planets) in any sign that sign has a dominating effect in predictions.

This is like the foundation of Astrological prediction as it lays importance to the apparent motion of the Fixed Stars in the sky which are a background even to our revolving Sun. These signs may coincide with your Western astro signs or be off by at most one astrological sign. In your Vedic Astrology Calculated Birth Chart, each planet and the Ascendant will have some sidereal sign that are different from that of the Western Astrology Birth Chart. The Rising Sign here too gains importance as it can be the most accurate info about your Birth that distinguishes you from others born around the same period. This very important parameter is called the ‘Lagna’. One is a Pisces Lagna Person or Aries Lagna Person, for example, as spoken of in Vedic Astro Lingo.

So, a vital reading you cannot afford to miss is your Lagna (Rising Sign) based Vedic Astrology Reading. It can not only reveal your weekly, monthly or yearly happenings but also the powerfully overriding major themes running throughout your life time (through Mahadashas and Antardashas). In case of severe problems in Life, do check your moon sign prediction too. You can neglect the sun sign prediction here if you are doing that in Western Astrology already.

The geometrical relationships (also called aspects or drishtis) between the planets (including the ascendant) remain the same whether you rotate the ‘wheel’ underneath it or not. So, many of the predictions will remain unchanged. However those which reference the absolute sign may vary. For example Sun in Capricorn in one system endows different characteristics than the Sun in Sagittarius in another – for the same person. Nevertheless, it is the unchanging aspects/relationships in the foreground of the ‘wheel’ that decides the characteristics of any important prediction.

Take for example the career of a person who is a Tropical Aries Ascendant. At maximum difference between the systems, the same person is a Sidereal Pisces. When Saturn is in Tropical Capricorn, it is usually in Sidereal Sagittarius too. So, in both the systems we can say that the Person is undergoing major changes in the 10th House of Career.

I see my Lagna based Vedic Astrology Readings all the time. However, I also keep an eye on my Rising Sign based Western Astrology readings across Websites and YouTube. Nevertheless, my Sun Sign (Western) Personality is here to stay with me as well as my first instinct – Rising Sign(Western)! Do consult your own experience too.

One of the confusing things you will encounter across both the systems is – What does it mean when it says the Sun is in the 10th House in the calculated birth chart? I get it that the Sun being in Capricorn(say) makes me a Capricorn Sun but that 10th thing is what?

If you don’t understand house numbers then its ok. Remember to check the ‘Nth House Finder’ here in this website if required. As a side-note, the root of the wheel (n=1) usually represents your rising sign/ascendant sign/Lagna. So your Sun and Moon signs get a number(besides the sign) with respect to that root sign/house of the wheel.