What the big three mean
- Sun sign: your core identity and what gives you energy. It depends only on your birth date.
- Moon sign: your emotions, instincts and what makes you feel safe. The Moon changes sign every two to three days, so the date usually settles it, and the time settles it for sure.
- Rising sign: how you come across and approach new situations. It changes roughly every two hours, so it needs your exact birth time and place.
Astrologers read the three together: the Sun is who you are at heart, the Moon is what you need, and the Rising sign is the face you show first.
How accurate is it?
Positions are calculated in your browser and checked against the Swiss Ephemeris, the reference used by professional astrologers: within a few arcseconds for the Sun, Moon and chart angles, and well under a tenth of a degree for Mercury, Venus and Mars. Historical time zones and daylight saving rules come from the time zone database built into your browser.
Questions
Why do I need my birth place?
Your rising sign depends on which part of the zodiac was on the eastern horizon where you were born. The same moment gives a different rising sign in London and New York.
What if I do not know my birth time?
You can still get your Sun sign and usually your Moon sign. The calculator tells you whether the Moon changed sign on your birthday. Your rising sign needs the time.