Ascendant
The ascendant is the point where the ecliptic crosses the eastern horizon for a place and instant. Its sign is called the rising sign.
How it is defined
It depends on time, date and location. Signs do not rise for exactly two hours each. In whole-sign houses, the ascendant can fall within the first house.
How to read it
Start by identifying the factor, its position and the data behind it. Then explore its symbolic reading and consider which questions make sense in your own experience.
A concrete example
If the birth time is unknown, comparing two possible times reveals uncertainty; it neither establishes the true time nor lets you deduce physical appearance.
Explore further
Explore the connection with the Sun sign, Moon sign or ascendant. When comparing two tools, keep the same birth data and record the settings used.