It used to be that to know everything you could about someone, all you needed to ask was, "What's your sign." And that question still can tell you a lot about a person. But as social media sites like TikTok make astrology more accessible to the masses, you're probably hearing not just about someone's sun (which is their sun sign), but also their moon and rising signs. These will tell you even more about another person than just their sun sign. Here's how to make sense of it all.
Sun, Moon, and Rising Signs
The sun, moon, and rising (ascendant) signs represent the foundational parts of your personality; taken together, they're called the Big 3. In the language of astrology, your sun, moon, and rising signs communicate far more information than you get from your sun sign alone.
The Sun
The sun is your ego, the star of your life. Its sign is the role you were born to play. Your sun sign answers the question, "Who am I?"
The Moon
The moon is your heart, intuition, and emotional self. Your moon sign answers the question, "What kinds of experiences are most essential to my happiness?"
The Ascendant
The ascendant — or rising sign — is the mask you wear that allows people you don't know well to categorize you quickly. Your rising sign is calculated from the exact time of your birth and is the most personal point of your birth chart.
Calculate Your Sun, Moon, and Ascendant
You must have your complete birth data (date, location, and exact time of birth) to find the signs of your sun, moon, and ascendant. If you have that information, finding your Big 3 is quick and easy. AstroSeek.com has a free Big 3 calculator.
Interpreting the Big 3
You can research the meaning of each of your Big 3, but the simplest and most fun way to interpret them is with the astrological archetypes. Astrological archetypes take the complexity of human individuality and break it down into easily definable characters. Using the archetypal characters related to the signs of the Big 3, you can ad-lib a quick astrological blurb about yourself or any other person who'll share their Big 3 with you. The archetypes for the sun, moon, and rising signs reveal a person's essence in a fun and simple way.
Aries
The astrological archetypes for Aries are the warrior, pioneer, daredevil, or hero.
Taurus
Taurus's astrological archetypes are the sensualist, builder, musician, and patient one.
Gemini
Gemini's astrological archetypes include witness, messenger, storyteller, and journalist.
Cancer
Archetypally, Cancer is the mother, healer, and invisible man or woman.
Leo
For Leos, the archetypes include clown, child, performer, and king or queen.
Virgo
Virgo's astrological archetypes include servant, perfectionist, analyst, craftsman, and healer.
Libra
Libra archetypes include the lover, diplomat, peacemaker, and artist.
Scorpio
Scorpios are magicians, strategists, hypnotists, and sorcerers.
Sagittarius
Sagittarians are philosophers, teachers, travelers, and explorers.
Capricorn
If you're a Capricorn, your archetypes include executive, prime minister, father, and hermit.
Aquarius
Aquarians' archetypes include rebel, visionary, inventor, scientist, and exile.
Pisces
Archetypes for Pisces include poet, shapeshifter, dreamer, mystic, and martyr.
Related: Rising Astrological Signs
Having Fun With Astrology's Big 3
An individual's birth chart is complex and filled with contradictions that only someone fluent in astrological interpretation can decipher. Still, you don't have to be an astrologer to write a sentence about the Big 3. And that one sentence can tell you a lot!
Celebrity Examples of the Big 3
Celebrities are familiar to us. We've read about their lives, and most of their birth charts are available online. Knowing your favorite celebrity's sun, moon, and ascending sign archetypes allows you to dig into the essence of their character.
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves has a Virgo sun and Cancer moon, with Virgo on his ascendant. Reeves is a craftsman (Virgo) with the heart of a healer (Cancer), wearing the mask of a servant (Virgo).
Katy Perry
Katy Perry has a Scorpio sun and a Scorpio moon, with Scorpio on her ascendant. Katy Perry is a strategist (Scorpio) with the heart of a magician (Scorpio), wearing the mask of a hypnotist (Scorpio).
Gordon Ramsey
Gordon Ramsey has a Scorpio sun and Virgo moon, with Gemini on his Ascendant. Ramsey is a magician (Scorpio) with the heart of a perfectionist (Virgo), wearing the mask of a teacher (Gemini).
Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner has a Leo sun and Scorpio moon, with Capricorn on her ascendant. Kylie is a queen (Leo) with the heart of a sorcerer (Scorpio), wearing the mask of a prime minister (Capricorn).
Astrologers and the Big 3
When astrologers first meet one another or when they introduce themselves to a group of astrologers, it's not unusual for them to give their name followed by their Big 3. In the language of astrology, this communicates some important information, and the other astrologers immediately have a feel for the person.
