*Calculation based on tropical zodiac algorithms. For precise minutes/degrees, a full ephemeris is required.
What is a Moon Sign?
In astrology, your Moon sign represents your inner self, your subconscious, and your emotional reactions. While your Sun sign (what most people call their "star sign") dictates your personality and ego, the Moon sign governs how you process feelings and what makes you feel safe and nurtured. It changes signs approximately every 2.5 days, making it much more specific than your Sun sign.
Understanding the Rising Sign (Ascendant)
The Rising sign, or Ascendant, is the zodiac sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the exact moment and location of your birth. This sign represents the "mask" you wear when meeting others and your immediate, instinctive reaction to new environments. It determines the starting point of your 12 astrological houses, making it critical for an accurate birth chart reading.
Example Calculation
If you were born on July 15, 1990, at 10:30 AM in New York (UTC-5):
Sun Sign: Cancer (The core identity)
Moon Sign: Aries (The emotional world is fiery and impulsive)
Rising Sign: Virgo (The outward appearance is organized and analytical)
Why Precision Matters
Because the Rising sign changes roughly every two hours, knowing your exact birth time is essential. A difference of just 30 minutes can shift your Ascendant to a completely different sign, altering the entire structure of your astrological houses. Similarly, the Moon's fast movement means that if you were born on a day when the Moon transitioned between signs, the exact hour of birth is the only way to know your true emotional sign.
function calculateSigns() {
var dateInput = document.getElementById('birthDate').value;
var timeInput = document.getElementById('birthTime').value;
var tzOffset = parseFloat(document.getElementById('timezone').value);
if (!dateInput || !timeInput) {
alert("Please enter both birth date and time.");
return;
}
var birthDate = new Date(dateInput + 'T' + timeInput);
// Convert to UTC
var utcDate = new Date(birthDate.getTime() – (tzOffset * 60 * 60 * 1000));
var signs = ["Aries", "Taurus", "Gemini", "Cancer", "Leo", "Virgo", "Libra", "Scorpio", "Sagittarius", "Capricorn", "Aquarius", "Pisces"];
// 1. Calculate Moon Sign (Approximation)
// Using a known reference: New Moon Jan 11, 2024 (UTC) is at 11:57
// Average Lunar Month: 27.32 days (Sidereal month for signs)
var refDate = new Date('2024-01-11T11:57:00Z');
var diffMs = utcDate – refDate;
var diffDays = diffMs / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24);
// Moon moves approx 13.176 degrees per day. 360 / 27.322
// On Jan 11 2024, Moon was roughly at the start of Capricorn (Sign 9)
var moonPosition = (diffDays % 27.322);
if (moonPosition = 21) || (month == 4 && day = 20) || (month == 5 && day = 21) || (month == 6 && day = 21) || (month == 7 && day = 23) || (month == 8 && day = 23) || (month == 9 && day = 23) || (month == 10 && day = 23) || (month == 11 && day = 22) || (month == 12 && day = 22) || (month == 1 && day = 20) || (month == 2 && day <= 18)) sunSignIdx = 10;
else sunSignIdx = 11;
// The Ascendant rotates through all 12 signs in 24 hours.
// At sunrise, the Rising sign is roughly the Sun sign.
// Assume sunrise is 6:00 AM local time.
var birthHours = birthDate.getHours() + (birthDate.getMinutes() / 60);
var hoursSinceSunrise = birthHours – 6;
if (hoursSinceSunrise < 0) hoursSinceSunrise += 24;
// Each sign lasts approx 2 hours on the horizon
var hoursPerSign = 2;
var risingShift = Math.floor(hoursSinceSunrise / hoursPerSign);
var finalRisingIndex = (sunSignIdx + risingShift) % 12;
// Display Results
document.getElementById('moonSignResult').innerText = signs[finalMoonIndex];
document.getElementById('risingSignResult').innerText = signs[finalRisingIndex];
document.getElementById('resultBox').style.display = 'block';
}