Horoscope Native and Ascendant (Rising Sign)

This section provides introduction of some basic horoscope elements: Native and Ascendant (Rising Sign).

In horoscopic astrology, "Native" is defined as the reference point for the place and time of the event (individual's birth) to be charted. Native is always located at the center of a horoscope chart.

"Ascendant (Rising Sign)" is defined as the zodiac sign (zodiac constellation) that is rising on the east horizon at the time and the place of the event.

If we use a person's birth horoscope chart as an example:

On opposite side of the Ascendant point is the Descendant point, where the opposite zodiac sign (zodiac constellation) is descending on the west horizon at the time and the person's birth event.

Now, let's use a simplified calculation to explain the concepts of Ascendant and Descendant. Assuming that John is born on May 30, 2000 at noon time in the city of Jakarta, here how we can draw a simplified version of John's birth horoscope chart:

1. Draw a big circle to represent the ecliptic circle. Draw a dot at the center of the ecliptic circle to represent the John's Native point. Draw a horizontal, diagonal, line on the ecliptic circle to represent the horizontal plane.

2. At John's birth time, noon time, the Sun is at the top of the sky, the Zenith point in the observer's relative celestial coordinate system. So, mark the Sun's location at 12 o'clock position on the ecliptic circle.

3. Based on the sidereal zodiac sign table, on John's birth date, the Sun is traveling in the middle of the Taurus, the Bull, sign, 15 degrees of Taurus. In other word, John's sidereal Sun Sign is 15 degrees of Taurus, the Bull. This means that the middle point of the Taurus sign meets the Sun's position on John's birth chart. So mark the Taurus sign section on the ecliptic circle from 11:30 position to 12:30 position.

4. Based on the position of the Taurus sign, the Rising Sign or Ascendant should be Taurus sign plus 90 degrees, which will be the Leo, the Lion, sign. In other word, John's Rising Sign is Leo, the Lion. More precisely, the Ascendant, the Rising Sign, is at 15 degrees of Leo on John's birth chart. So mark the Leo sign section on the ecliptic circle from 8:30 position to 9:30 position.

5. Based on the Ascendant, calculating the Descendant is easy. The Descendant should be the opposite sign of Leo, Aquarius (the Water Bearer). More precisely, John's Descendant sign is 15 degrees of Aquarius. So mark the Aquarius sign section on the ecliptic circle from 2:30 position to 3:30 position.

The picture below shows a simplified version of John's birth horoscope chart:

Simplified Horoscope Chart
Simplified Horoscope Chart

However, the above birth chart needs to be revised if you are using the tropical zodiac coordinate system, as in Western astrology. We know that the different between tropical coordinates and the sidereal coordinates is about 24 days, about 24 degrees.

So John's birth chart with the tropical coordinate system will have:

Table of Contents

 About This Book

 Quick Introduction to Astrology

 Basics of Astrology and Astronomy

 Stars

 Constellations

 Introduction to Western Zodiac Signs

Horoscope and Horoscopic Astrology

 What Is Horoscope?

Horoscope Native and Ascendant (Rising Sign)

 Horoscope Moon and Other Planet Signs

 Horoscope Houses

 Horoscope and Planets

 Chinese Astrology and Horoscope

 Chinese Zodiac Animal Signs

 References

 Full Version in PDF/EPUB