Cue the “Mom, what time was I born?” text. ๐
Your big three, aka your sun, moon, and rising signs, are the blueprint to discovering your true astrological self. With all things zodiac and astrology sweeping through social media, we’re sure you’ve wondered, “What’s my big three?” or “What is a big three?” These three major astrological placements are arguably the most significant stats in your birth chart, each ruling over their own sector of your personality.
When thinking of your zodiac sign, most people think of their sun sign first. But, if you’re interested in delving deeper into astrology, learning your big three is a great place to start. Simply put, your sun sign represents your personality at its core, your moon sign represents your innermost emotional self, and your rising sign describes how you present to the outside world.
Whether you’ve spent countless hours exploring your birth chart or are new to the astrology scene, keep reading to learn more about what your big three says about you.
What Does My Sun Sign Mean?
Most times, when someone asks you about your zodiac sign, the sun sign is what you most likely refer to/identify as. Your sun sign marks the day and month you were born and symbolizes who you are at your core. Your sun sign dictates what drives you, motivates you, and represents your most fundamental character traits. Think of this sign as a baseline of who you are.
What Does My Moon Sign Mean?
Your moon sign refers to which zodiac sign the moon was in when you were born. This placement represents your deepest emotional desires and personal inner world (those deep-rooted feelings we don’t outwardly express to those around us). Unlike your shining sun sign, your moon sign represents the shadowy, hidden parts of your being. This is the soul of your subconscious identity.
You’ll need your exact birth time for an accurate chart reading to determine your moon sign.
What Does My Rising Sign Mean?
Your rising sign, or ascendant, refers to the planet that was rising on the eastern horizon when you were born. It also marks your first house of the self and is associated with your overall aesthetic and physical traits. Consider your rising sign as how the world perceives you, especially in social settings or when meeting new people.
Because rising signs change roughly every two hours, you will need your exact birthdate, time, and place to find your rising sign accurately. If you don’t feel in tune with your sun sign’s qualities, your rising sign might be more relatable!
How Do I Find My Moon, Sun, and Rising Signs?
Want to find your big three? You’ll need your birthdate, location, and the exact time you were born (so dig up those birth certificates!). Any online birth chart calculator, like Astro-Seek, Cafe Astrology, or Astrology.com, will help you plug in all your information and reveal your unique birth chart! Yup, it’s that easy.
What Does It Mean to Have a Sun, Moon, and Rising in Each Sign?
Discover what your specific sun, moon, and rising placements mean for your personality.
Aries
Aries Sun: Bold and direct, Aries sun signs are fearless leaders of the zodiac. These fiery go-getters mean business and are not afraid to dive headfirst into the most challenging of situations.
Aries Moon: Hot-tempered and emotionally reactive, Aries moon signs are known as the emotional firecrackers of the zodiac. They can go from 0-100 in seconds and are fueled by their passionate fire element.
Aries Rising: Great at first impressions? You can thank your Aries rising sign for that. This placement has a powerful presence and is unwaveringly confident in approaching new people, jobs, and experiences.
Taurus
Taurus Sun: Grounded and calm, Taurus sun signs are your average creatures of habit. These stubborn bulls are naturally headstrong and down-to-earth, though their Venus ruling planet makes sure they remember to appreciate the finer things in life every now and then.
Taurus Moon: The moon feels most comfortable in the sign of Taurus, so if you have this placement, consider yourself blessed by the stars. This sign has a strong emotional foundation and is not afraid to dig deep.
Taurus Rising: Effortlessly graceful and basically perfect, Taurus rising signs exude a natural aura of serenity and poised perfection. Taurus often gets pegged as materialistic, but you’re highly grounded in your approach. You probably love cooking and gardening.
Gemini
Gemini Sun: Charismatic and known socialite, Gemini sun signs pride themselves in being your go-to source for the latest hot gossip. These well-rounded individuals can fit in anywhere.
Gemini Moon: Gemini moon signs are chatty individuals who may seem aloof when it comes to their emotions. These lofty air signs would rather approach their emotions logically rather than wear their heart on their sleeve.
Gemini Rising: Intelligent and quick-witted, Gemini rising signs are always looking to learn something new. They are extremely adaptable in social situations, so don’t be surprised if you can’t quite pin them down.
Cancer
Cancer Sun: Emotionally sensitive with an innate sense of nurturing, Cancer sun signs are big softies underneath their sometimes tough exterior. Ruled by the moon, they are incredibly intuitive.
Cancer Moon: The moon is happily at home in Cancer. This placement showcases endless emotional depth, and while sometimes can be overly sensitive, are natural caretakers and homebodies at heart.
Cancer Rising: Since this placement is in your first house of the self, it means you have a lot of feelings (and aren’t afraid to feel them). Some Cancer risings physically resemble the moon, aka round features and dark hair, eyes, etc.
Leo
Leo Sun: The sun rules Leo, so this placement is right at home. Bold, bright, and beautiful, Leo sun signs have no problem being in the spotlight. In fact, they prefer it. These confident leaders strive for success in all that they do.
Leo Moon: Leo moon placements are extremely loyal and generous. These loud lions won’t hesitate to protect their friends and family. They LOVE love!
Leo Rising: The party doesn’t start until you walk in, Leo rising. Some might say you’re a little dramatic with your loud, boisterous laugh and extra AF outfits, but you can’t help that you’re the main character! IYKYK.
Virgo
Virgo Sun: Detail-orientated and practical, Virgo sun signs are ruled by communicative Mercury, so you can expect these placements to be deeply analytical.
Virgo Moon: Because Virgo is a perfectionist through and through, Virgo moon signs are known to be hard on themselves. As a grounded earth sign, this placement finds comfort in their daily routine.
Virgo Rising: Virgo rising placements love to feel in control, of everything. They have extremely high standards and are always striving for perfection in how they work, dress, and present themselves.
Libra
Libra Sun: Libra sun placements strive for balance in all areas of their life. This socialite air sign is all about romanticizing their world, finding beauty in the smallest things. They love protecting their peace.
Libra Moon: Libra moon placements have very balanced emotions. This placement feels profound, but you can immediately process and articulate how they feel. They want to keep the peace above all!
Libra Rising: She is beauty, she is grace! With Venus as your ruler, Libra risings possess a naturally beautiful aura. Charming, stunning, and dreamy, this placement has a magnetic personality.
Scorpio
Scorpio Sun: Ruled by Mars, Scorpio sun signs are intense, mysterious, and passionate. This sign is known for its emotional depth and the angst that comes with it.
Scorpio Moon: They might seem emotionally unavailable, but they crave emotional intimacy. These placements are passionately sexy and loyal to a fault.
Scorpio Rising: You know that hot, mysterious stranger who hates everything and everyone? The one that is secretly a big softie deep down? Think tall, dark, and handsome. Yup, That’s Scorpio rising.
Sagittarius
Sagittarius Sun: Sagittarius sun signs are expansive thinkers with a free-spirited wind about them. They are philosophical, LOVE to travel, and value spontaneity.
Sagittarius Moon: Emotions can run high with this fire sign placement. Sagittarius moons crave freedom above all else. They find it easy to brush their emotions aside.
Sagittarius Rising: Hilarious and dynamic, Sagittarius rising signs sparkle with optimism. These upbeat and kind-hearted dreamers know that everything will work out eventually.
Capricorn
Capricorn Sun: This natural leader strives for success, always. Hardworking, ambitious, and disciplined, Capricorn sun placements are very grounded and practical in their approach.
Capricorn Moon: Pragmatic and able to keep their emotions totally in check, Capricorn moon placements don’t reveal their emotions to just anybody. It can take a while to crack their hard shell.
Capricorn Rising: Hellooo, networking. Capricorn rising placements will use any and every opportunity to hand out their resume.
Aquarius
Aquarius Sun: Aquarius sun placements are innovative rebels who always strive for change. These humanitarians are not afraid to fight for what’s right.
Aquarius Moon: Aquarius moon placements can come off as emotionally aloof, but they are true humanitarians. These individuals are driven by logic, need constant mental stimulation to keep them occupied, and are highly open-minded.
Aquarius Rising: A total trendsetter. You might not fully understand the eccentric Aquarius rising when you first meet them, but know they aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd.
Pisces
Pisces Sun: Talk about wanderlust! Intuitive and deeply spiritual, Pisces sun placements are the definition of dreamy. These daydream believer water signs are highly imaginative.
Pisces Moon: Pisces moon placements make feeling your feelings look *romantic*. These water signs are empathetic and extremely giving.
Pisces Rising: This placement has their head in the clouds, like always. They have an inexplicable aura of magic around them and are known as the physics of the zodiac.
So, what’s your big three, Cosmo cutie? If you’re looking for more information on astrology and modern mysticism, check out Astrology: The Complete Guide and our Monthly Horoscopes!
