You’re Reading Your Horoscope Wrong: Wise Words From Salient’s Resident Astrologer and Astro-Girly

Words by the Salient Wizard (thee/thou) and Francesca Georgia Pietkiewicz (she/they)

If you’ve ever turned to the back of this magazine hoping for some accurate astrological guidance and been disappointed, I’m here to tell you that it’s a ^you problem, unlike my relationship with my ex, not a me problem. 

Believe it or not, astrology wasn’t created by TikTok scammers—it’s actually an ancient practice. So old, we actually don’t know how old. If you’re new to astrology, you may not know that you have more than one astrological sign (though you’ve probably heard cute astrology girlies talking about their “big three”). The one you’re looking for when you read your horoscope every week is called your “sun sign”. But if you want your planetary advice to be more accurate, you should be reading for your “rising sign” or “ascendant”: the sign in charge of the energy you present purse-first into the party. You could even call it your expressive essence.

In order to find your rising sign, you’re going to have to find a birth chart calculator online (we use Cafe Astrology).  Ask a family member your birth-time, enter it into the calculator, and watch it “cast” your birth chart. Your birth chart is a wheel divided into 12 sections: a snapshot of the position of the planets when you were born. These 12 sections are called “houses”, and each one will be assigned a sign in Zodiacal order. 

These houses are all associated with different things and aspects of a person's life, with the first representing yourself and your body. Your “rising sign” is whatever sign rules your first house. For example, if you’re a Leo rising, your first house will be ruled by Leo, your second will be by Virgo, your third will be by Libra and so on. Ta-da! If this is big-boy confusing, just scroll down the page or check your Co-Star app (we don’t recommend) for a list.

TYPES OF SIGNS:

FIRE: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

WATER: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

AIR: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius

EARTH: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn, 

*CARDINAL (C):* (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn). Think initiator. Cardinal signs hold the metaphorical torch of each element, giving CEO energy, leader vibes, and confidence. They cannot be stopped. They will drive themselves insane if it means being successful in their mission, whether that be getting a date or pioneering a start up. 

*FIXED (F):*(Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, Taurus). Fixed signs are driven and on a set path. They are potentially control freaks, stubborn yet stable, and grounded within their purpose. These signs are ground workers of the zodiac; the support system when the cardinals ultimately overwhelm themselves. Each of these signs have rizz but also are adamant god-complex beings who need their alone time to thrive. 

*MUTABLE (M)*: (Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini, Virgo) Mutable signs are the easy-going, free-flowing members of the zodiac; the true manifestations of full-spectrum humans, ranging from chill to constant chaos. They are the ‘life of the party’ signs and the most interesting characters of the zodiac. They are the glory babies—coming in hot with all of the ideas spirit-straight from the aether.