Astrology Glossary · Angles and houses
Ascendant
Also called the rising sign. The zodiac sign on the eastern horizon at the moment of birth. Often the first impression you make, the mask in front of the Sun sign behind it.
The ascendant, also called the rising sign, is the zodiac sign on the eastern horizon at the exact moment and place of your birth. Because the Earth rotates once every 24 hours, the entire zodiac passes the eastern horizon in that time; the ascendant changes every two hours.
Astrologically the ascendant carries first-impression: the version of you that strangers meet, the costume you wear before they get to the Sun sign behind it. It is also the cusp of the 1st house, which is why some traditions equate ascendant with "first house" loosely.
Daily Sun-sign horoscopes do not use the ascendant — they would need your exact birth time and place. AIstra mentions the ascendant on Zodified only as glossary context. If you know your rising sign, you can read its daily forecast in addition to your Sun sign's; many astrologers think the rising-sign forecast is actually more accurate.