Ascendant
Because the ascendant is specific to a particular time and place, to astrologers it signifies the individual environment and conditioning that a person receives during their upbringing, and also the circumstances of their childhood.
[2] For this reason, astrologers consider that the ascendant is also concerned with how a person has learned to present themself to the world, especially in public and in impersonal situations.
[citation needed] Although Babylonian astronomers observed the actual rising times of the signs, there is no specific mention of the ascendant in the texts that have survived on clay tablets.
By the 3rd century BCE, Egyptians looked at the rising of specific asterisms to identify the ascending sign and get an approximate time of night,[3] and that is reflected in the name subsequently given by the Greeks to the ascendant: horoskopos, or "hour marker."
[further explanation needed][7] By definition of ascendant, we have to take the point easterly (the rising one, less than 180° from the midheaven) by using a final rule: Otherwise a direct result in the correct quadrant can be determined if calculator or programming software has the atan2(y,x) math function[further explanation needed] and then using the last rule.
In the northern hemisphere, the signs of Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus and Gemini take much less time than the theoretical two hours to cross the eastern horizon, whilst the signs of Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius take much longer than two hours to do so.
At the latitude of St. Petersburg, Russia: Astrologers consider the differences between the rate at which the signs ascend to be of importance.
If the sun, for example, occupies that degree, it will neither rise nor set, but will lie upon the horizon for twenty-four hours.
[10] Another factor concerning the effect of the ascendant is the theory that people become more like their sun sign after around 29 years old, as they grow older and more confident, as the sun embodies essential ego energy and self-esteem, and thus perhaps have less of a need to present a public face to others.
[11] The planet that rules the astrological sign of the ascendant is called the chart ruler and is said to be of particular importance.
The effect of these signs on the ascendant is to emphasize adaptability, dexterity, change and flexibility.
Regarding the classification of signs according to the four classical elements (Fire, Earth, Air and Water), the ascendant can be[citation needed]: The fire signs of Aries, Leo and Sagittarius are noted for their energy, enthusiasm and optimism.
Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn ascendants are usually considered calm and stress-resistant individuals.
The effect of the earth sign ascendant make people more material, reserved and collected, they don't tend to show their emotions and can be or appear to be cold.
The Gemini riser is constantly busy, fully engaged in a kind of juggling act, with at least a dozen activities on the go at any one time.
The Libra riser occupies themself with business schemes which often need the aid of a more earthy partner to make them come to fruition.
The water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are noted for their emotion, intuition and feeling.
When a water sign is on the ascendant the subject will hide their true feelings and have a strong need to protect themselves from the world around them.
Scorpio risers can use many different forms of camouflage with people they do not know, one of their favourites being offensiveness and an off-putting manner.
Pisces risers appear soft, gentle, self-sacrificing and sometimes even helpless, but this is misleading, as they will fight strongly for what they think is right.
