While you might be familiar with your sun sign, your rising or ascendant sign is another part of astrology worth understanding. Discover more about how your ascendant sign shapes your personality, likes, and dislikes and how you can find your own ascendant sign.

If someone took a picture of the sky the moment you were born, you would have your birth chart. On this chart, the sign rising over the eastern horizon is your ascendant sign. While your sun sign rules your ego energy and determines how you respond to all the ups and downs of life, your ascendant sign controls your personality and demeanor.

From your attitude to your appearance, your ascendant sign impacts your outward self and the first impression people will have of you. Do you like bold colors or soft neutrals? Are you quick to jump into the conversation or need time to warm up? Your ascendant sign influences all of these factors and more. When you know your ascendant sign, a phone psychic can give you a better reading of your personality and how you'll react to certain situations.

If your birth certificate lists the day, time, and place of your birth, an online psychic can calculate your rising sign as part of your astrology chart. The ascendant sign changes every two hours, so it's important to have your exact birth time or an approximate that's as close as possible.

Another quick rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if you were born just before or just after dawn, your rising sign is likely the same as your sun sign. On the other hand, if you were born right before or right after sunset, your rising sign is likely the exact opposite of your sun sign. If people often say you seem to act differently than your sign, it could be because of your ascendant sign.

Once you know your ascendant sign, this overview can give you an idea of how it's reflected in your personality.

Aries Rising: Independent, blunt, bold, lively, and dominant

Taurus Rising: Strong, calm, unwavering, pragmatic, and steady

Gemini Rising: Witty, talkative, playful, curious, and positive

Cancer Rising: Shy, caring, intuitive, sentimental, and kind

Leo Rising: Dynamic, powerful, strong, expressive, and distinguished

Virgo Rising: Observant, reserved, analytical, detail-oriented, and nervous

Libra Rising: Accepting, charming, optimistic, soft-spoken, and gracious

Scorpio Rising: Sensual, brooding, spiritual, secretive, and mysterious

Sagittarius Rising: Wise, blunt, direct, honest, and jovial

Capricorn Rising: Hardworking, serious, diligent, controlled, and polished

Aquarius Rising: Friendly, progressive, idealistic, contrary, and rebellious

Pisces Rising: Sensitive, romantic, artistic, vague, and adaptable

Now that you have more knowledge of what your ascendant sign is and how to find it, you can use this information to better understand your personality