Rising Sign Compatibility: Sharing Similar Masks

Usually when couples want to check their astrology compatibility, they check whether their sun signs are a good “match” or not; they might also check their moon signs, or consult a professional star sign compatibility report like the ones we offer here at Astromatcha. There is another level to consider though – rising sign compatibility. Your rising sign, also called your ascendant sign, is the zodiac sign which was rising on the Eastern horizon at the time, date and place of your birth. This sign changes every few hours through the day, so no matter what sun sign you are, you could have any one of the twelve signs as your rising sign.


Why does the rising sign matter? Well, astrologically, the rising sign represents the mask you wear in public – your persona, if you like. The image you like to project to the world, and how you appear to others when they first get to know you. For some of us, what you see is what you get, and our rising signs and sun signs are quite similar; for others, the private person at the core is very different to first impressions – this happens when the ascendant sign is quite dissimilar to the sun sign. Rising sign compatibility is an important indicator of whether two people will “click” when they first meet.

You can probably think of times in your own experience when you have gelled instantly with someone, but then perhaps cooled off them a little once you got to know them. That’s rising sign compatibility which probably wasn’t backed up by the rest of your birth charts. Conversely, how about times when you’ve taken ages to warm up to someone, or even actively disliked them at first, only to find that they really grow on you and you end up as good friends – or better? Here, your ascendant sign compatibility probably wasn’t great, but your deeper levels of astrology compatibility were, so although you took your time to turn on to one another, you got there in the end.

For a quick fling, rising sign compatibility may well be all you need if you’re not intending to get serious with one another. For marriage or a long term relationship, however, you need much stronger links between your two charts than ascendant signs alone. Even if the initial match between you is terrific, or even if you share the same ascendant sign, compatibility over the longer term comes with all the relationship baggage we know and love.

Although it’s a fun guide to work out the instant magnetism between two people, don’t be misled by rising sign compatibility alone – it can mask problems, or even create problems of its own. Consider a couple who both have Libra rising, and are at a party. Outwardly, they’re both relaxed, easy going and enjoying the social mix. Then perhaps she starts flirting with someone else. Fine, no problem – easy going Libra rising guy laughs it off as a bit of harmless fun. But he has a Scorpio sun sign, and is inwardly seething with jealousy. Meanwhile, she also treats it as a bit of fun – and with her Gemini sun sign, she genuinely thinks that’s all it is. Cue fireworks of the wrong kind when this couple gets home – but Ms Gemini sun could be forgiven for wondering why on earth Mr Scorpio sun didn’t act bothered at the time. It’s easy to be baffled when you have rising sign compatibility but a sun sign mismatch.

Still, understanding your rising sign can give you a lot of insight into your own personality – and understanding someone else’s can give a clue as to why they’re a completely different person in private to how they are in public. If nothing else, taking a peek into your joint ascendant sign compatibility can help you fend off problems like the flirting issue above. Whether you wear similar masks or very different ones, it pays to know who the person behind that mask really is.