Ascendant and people

Masculine signs rising(fire or air) are almost always taller, lighter, and more attractive than feminine(earth or water) ascendants. Neighboring signs are as different as night and day, in both looks and temperament. Fire signs rising have that active, sporty look about them, while air sign risings have a social or intellectual look about them. Earth sign risings have that down to earth practical look about them while water sign risings have that domestic or homey look about them. Aries is confident and energetic, Taurus is stubborn and stodgy, Gemini is slim and wiry, Cancer is roundish and motherly, Leo is impressive and dramatic, Virgo is critical and petite, Libra is simply beautiful, Scorpio is intense and forbidding, Sagittarius is athletic and cheerful, Capricorn is shy and serious, Aquarius is both friendly and rebellious, and Pisces is dreamy and sensitive.

Note: Planets in the same sign as the ascendant can greatly modify its appearance according to the nature of the planets involved. If you have Sagittarius rising, for example, with Saturn there, your natural optimism and cheerfulness will be greatly toned down. "Unadulterated" ascendants or rising signs(those with no planets there) will produce the purest rising sign examples.

3. Another way to determine your Ascendant or Rising sign is to analyze your relationships. Important people in your life will almost always have their Suns in conjunction(same sign), opposition(opposite sign), or square(three signs away on either side), to your Ascendant. The opposition and conjunction occur frequently between close friends, intimates, or marriage partners. The square occurs frequently between parent and child or boss and employee.

In general, if you have a masculine ascendant, you will feel comfortable in the presence of masculine sun signs(Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius) and uncomfortable in the presence of feminine sun signs(Taurus, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces). Similarly, feminine ascendants will comfortable with feminine sun signs and uncomfortable with masculine sun signs. Masculine suns emanate strong rays which threaten the sensitivity of a feminine ascendant so that a build up of tension occurs. Conversely, feminine suns don't emit enough power or presence which gives a masculine ascendant a creepy feeling which is also interpreted as a threat and cause of tension.

So if you find, for example, that you have an excellent rapport with Leo or Aqua