What’s The Difference Between The Sun & The Rising Sign?

"You lookin' at me?"“One girl is a streetwalker, but her feet are so soft…”
-Jerry Riopelle

This relates to the Astrology of a Person’s Energy in a Room theme…

You can consider the ascendant, it’s sign and it’s aspects as a person’s veneer. Say you’re at a party and you see someone who appears accepting to one and all. A non-judgmental sort. That same person leaves the party and once in the car they let loose with a barrage of scathing criticism of everyone in the room. Well, well, well. What have we here?

Another person may give the impression of being stiff and stuffy and uptight at the same party but if you were to get to know them you may find them, well… just about anything. Fascinating. Funny. Intuitive. Warm. Broadminded. You get the picture.

The ascendant, it’s sign and it’s aspects also shows your appearance, which follows. It is part of the package of the self that shows up first.  Everyone knows someone can look ravishing but become repulsive once you get to know them. This is result of a lot of Venus action on the ascendant, where the rest of the chart tells a different story.

Blending the ascendant works same as with the Sun and the Moon.  If the ascendant is in harmony with the Sun and the Moon (sextile / trine) then what you see is akin to what you get (for good or ill). In other cases the person themselves is nothing like the image they project. A model who may take a great picture, but spends her life thinking deep thoughts is a good example. I am another.

I have Jupiter rising and I appear at first glance, to be at large and optimistic mostly due my ever present, huge welcoming grin. This attracts people to me however a large number of them run for lives when they learn that in fact, I am an intense piece of work.

There is little I can do as my grin in permanent save wear a shirt that says, “Beware the Undertow” but that would make my laugh and rather than grin and increase the problem.

I could try to be more superficial?

Nah. That’s not going to happen unless someone gives me one of those sneak lobotomies.  In the end you are what you are.

What is your rising sign and how is aspected? Is your façade similar to your sun sign, or not?  Is what you see, what you get, or is it more complicated than that?

79 thoughts on “What’s The Difference Between The Sun & The Rising Sign?”

  1. I appear weirder or more sudden or different than I should be if people like it. If people like my air sun or rising, they generally don’t like the oversensitive insecure water blabbing that comes later.

    I made watery friends earlier and they liked who I am once I get to know them. Then I repelled strangers.
    Now I made some Leonine and Venus in Gemini friends who enjoy my shit talk but not the insecure negativity I keep spouting as a confessional thing. Maybe I’m bored of it too.
    I know Pluto transits make you repulsive. I crave to find people who do like me for me. Many men left capriciously because they didn’t like me in the first place. There was nothing I did that could win them over.
    But sometimes the people that like me bore me

    Hell is other people but it is also being my own buddy

  2. Virgo ascendant conjunct my moon, trines Mars in Capricorn. I come across intense, serious, cerebral…usually. But I also have Venus in Aquarius. And I’m an Aquarian. My sun and Venus are in the sixth house, though. The consensus seems to be that I need to chill, relax, go with the flow. “Stop taking things so seriously,” they say.

  3. On my way to court constantly wondering if I am honest to myself about who I want to be for me. Gotta say I don’t think, as yet, I’ve been with someone I could give 110% of me to I dream of this mystery man am I likeable ? Is there one like me? Cap. Sun moon libra rising Scorpio in Pluto Aquarius in Neptune?

  4. I have a Cancer asc. I am the mom. People see a nurturer, lover of children, animals and elderly people. And I take care of them and cook for them….all of them. You need a Band-Aid? I have Mercury trine my asc. I speak optimistically and I am full of enthusiasm. That’s what you see when you meet me and all this assists me with the business I am in. I do very well actually. But, I have Venus square my asc and while I have been successful in my business I have not let go of binding obligations to the people I love, and until I do I will never succeed in realizing my personal goals, or our goals of retirement. (up until lately my grown kids have milked me of most everything I have earned) 🙁

    Then….. oh boy…..I will love you cook for you, mend your clothes and your wounds. And, give you my last dollar if I love you until… look out. Cos the shit is about to hit the fan.

    I have a 4th house Scorpio Stellium and that thing is in opposition to my Taurus moon. You decided to stick a knife in the back of the hand that fed you? Good luck with all that.

    Still (fixed) water runs deep.

  5. Interesting question, as usual with Elsa!
    I’d never really thought about the asc, thinking I don’t look/act like a Leo, but why?
    I’m Libra rising, my asc is sextile Sun and trine Moon – just realized that!
    I think I’m pretty much WYSIWYG, except that every once in a while (very rare) my Libra Mars unexpectedly blows up (this surprises people), and my Moon in Aqua probably makes me cooler than my “social” image. But when with people I like and trust, I can ease up.
    I’m not sure if I’m considered Mars rising (2° before the asc) – I can be a bit exuberant sometimes, hopped up, which is not what I consider my “basic” nature – sort of slow & somewhat cerebral. But that is not my physical appearance, just what’s in my head.

  6. I have a Capricorn Ascendant, trine both my late Aries Sun and early Taurus Mercury, so I’m a what you see is what you get person. I’m very much an introvert, so social gatherings aren’t my thing, but if I’m at one, I’m polite and kind to everyone, I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not, whatever I say will be the truth, but I won’t choose to say things that will bother anyone in any way. I have little to no interest in what people are wearing and such, so I’m not going to be talking about or criticizing people afterwards. While I’m there I will probably be thinking about other things part of the time, like the meaning of life, and what I will do when I get home, which is where I would usually rather be.

  7. I’m Virgo rising. I have a lot going on there: Uranus and Pluto conjunct my ascendant, Venus and Mercury in Capricorn trine, and Saturn in Pisces is opposite. I suppose on the surface I am cautious or shy but likeable (that Venus even though it’s in Cap). My Aquarius sun is still friendly but shocks people sometimes with stuff you never expected all that Virgo to do, as well as its stubbornness. Saturn opposite ascendant and Aquarius sun don’t like you to get too close and smothering.

  8. Pisces Asc square my Sag moon closely and trine my Gem Sun. I attract friendship/ romance easily by adapting to the mood of the people I’m with but need a certain amount of freedom and ability to follow my whims. Long term commitment is admired greatly but hard to achieve for me. Despite a lot of physical activity I DO have the Pisces fleshy body type and large eyes. I’m a good dancer and artistic.

  9. One thing I’ve noticed about rising signs is that they can seem to create false promises. I’ve had sun Saggitarians attracted to my Saggi ascendant but then drop me when I haven’t had the energy or inclination to join them climbing mountains or travelling the world. I’m a Sun Aquarius and in my late teens was disappointed with two different friends with Aquarius ascendant, both of whom appeared initially to share my youthful idealism but actually didn’t.

  10. I’m Libra sun, Sag rising with Pluto square AC and Mars in opposition to AC, so those make me seem a little intense (Pluto) and I tend to over-react (Mars). I have a problem with letting go of bad conversations because Moon in Gemini in my 7th house keeps me talking and analyzing instead of laughing and releasing the can of worms. However, on the other hand, I have AC sextile Sun and Mercury and AC trine Uranus so if I can keep myself to quiet conversations, I think I would do better and probably at the first sign of confrontation I should say, “I find you annoying today,” and walk off instead of pretending to be a “nice person.”

  11. Gemini Sun and Ascendant – life of the party. Gemini Sun, along with Moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Part of (Mis)Fortune, and Ceres in Taurus in the 12th – Hell no you’re not coming home with me! “You don’t know me that well!” (In the voice Flip Wilson as “Geraldine”)

  12. I’m a Scorpio Asc, Aries Sun. So I don’t think WYSIWYG with me. I remember the first time I became aware of this, yet didn’t know anything about astrology yet. A guy in the friend group I became a part of while dating my then-boyfriend told me I was aloof. ?!? Huh? Friendly Aries moi?? I was shocked! But now I totally see it. In new situations I sort of hang back, observe from the edge, get the lay of the land, try to figure people out. When I’m comfortable, when you know me, I think I am that fun, child-like, leader Aries.

    As a child, around 8 years old, my mother told me I was intense. I didn’t even know what the hell that meant. Again, later I figured she was seeing my Scorpio. My Scorp ascendant is exactly trine my Mercury in Pisces.

  13. Sag rising, moon in the 9th house, Libra sun conjuct jupiter. I have a lot of Jupiter energy I am a big personality in the package of a tiny little woman. But Libra keeps things in check making sure I present in a pleasing congenial manner I will directly tell it like it is Sag style but with a sweet and diplomatic Librian twist. I love, love and enjoy being partneted but need relationships that respect my freedom and are not too confining which works well with my Aquarius Sun and Moon husband.

  14. Libra Sun/Pisces Moon/Aquarius ASC. I’ve been told that initially I appear to be on the cooler, reserved side but once people have gotten to know me they see a melding of my quirky style sense, generosity, and they feel my sensitivity.

  15. Cap rising. Venus trines and Saturn squares. Libra Sun.

    I don’t know lol. I’ve had a lot of people tell me they thought I was a bitch when they first met me then they got to know me and found out that I’m a really nice, giving, gentle, spiritual person….that can be a bitch sometimes.

  16. My rising is Cancer 15 degrees,
    Sun and moon in Capricorn in the 7th
    Same degrees
    Is this why my son and grandson or sparring in the yard is this why I quit my job two days ago

  17. Capricorn Rising with Scorpio moon and Sag sun. People don’t expect the intensity that Scorpio moon brings. They see the conservative Capricorn first. I reveal my feelings more slowly since trusting others doesn’t come easy.

    1. That’s funny. I have Sag rising with Scorpio moon and Capricorn sun. I wonder how that reconfiguration of sun and rising signs together with the same Scorpio moon would make us different—or, similar?

      1. Yes I am thinking that aspects to ascendant as well as to the moon would be important. I have Moon conjunct Neptune conjunct Mercury in Scorpio. My Sag Sun is in my 12th house (so different from your 1st house sun) Is your moon in the 12th house?

        1. I also have moon conjunct neptune (within 10 degrees). Depending on the house system, my moon can be found either in the 10th, 11th, or 12th house. Using Whole Signs, it’s in the 12th.

          1. Oh no, sorry. My mistake. Not the 10th house for the moon. Just either the 11th or 12th, depending on the house system.

            1. Your Cap sun can work with Scorpio moon. With Jupiter as your ruling planet you must have some luck with money & other resources. Saturn is my ruling planet so it is a teacher…of how to become responsible…a lifelong lesson!
              Scorpio moon is willing to go deep. How do you see the Scorpio moon?

              1. Scorpio Moon = Passionate. Private. Loyal. Intense. Great Depth of Emotion. No time for superficiality. Possessive. Jealous. Can be cold, vengeful if betrayed.

  18. Yes starmaid, you summed up Scorpio moon very well. We are definitely similar in terms of feelings and instinctive responses. I think the ascendant and Mercury aspects would be where we would respond in different ways

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