Ascendant

The ascendant (or "rising sign") is the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the exact moment and place of birth. Because the whole zodiac rises over roughly 24 hours, the ascendant changes about every two hours, which is why an accurate birth time and place are needed to find it.

It marks the start of the first house and, in both Western and Vedic astrology (where it is called the lagna), is considered a key point of the birth chart — shaping how a person meets the world.