rus rising, for instance, Venus (the ruler of Taurus) would be the chart ruler. The ruler
of the ascendant is more important in horary astrology than in natal astrology.Because of the rotation of Earth, all 12 signs of the zodiac pass over the horizon
during the course of any given 24-hour period. This means that the ascendant changes
on the average of once every two hours. Hence, if someone’s birth time is off by two
hours or more, the person will be assigned an incorrect ascendant—one of the many
reasons why an accurate birth time is important.Using the ascendant as an indicator, astrologers can obtain a general idea of
why a client is seeking a reading. If someone calls and makes an appointment when
Libra is rising, for instance, the querent is interested in finding out about her or his
marriage or some similar close personal relationship. If, on the other hand, Capricorn
is rising, the querent is more interested in business and finance.Sources:
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology.New
York: New American Library, 1980.
McEvers, Joan, ed. Spiritual, Metaphysical & New Trends in Modern Astrology.Saint Paul, MN:
Llewellyn Publications, 1988.ASCENDANTAXIS
The ascendant axis is the horizon axis. In an astrological chart, this corresponds to the
line drawn from the ascendant to the descendant.ASCENSION, LONG ANDSHORT
If one stands in front of a building, it may appear to be 20 feet wide. If one then walks
10 yards or so to the left or to the right and examines the building from a different per-
spective, it will appear to be narrower than before. Because the belt of the zodiac is
slanted at 2^3 ⁄ 12 ° to Earth’s equator, we see some astrological signs from a slanted per-
spective. This causes, particularly at middle-latitudes, a noticeable variation in the
length of time it takes for different signs to rise (ascend) over the horizon. Those
requiring more time are referred to as signs of long ascension; those requiring less time,
signs of short ascension. In the Northern Hemisphere, the signs of long ascension are
Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius, with the “longest” signs being
Virgo and Libra. The signs of short ascension are Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries,
Taurus, and Gemini, with the “shortest” signs being Pisces and Aries. This situation is
reversed in the Southern Hemisphere.Sources:
Brau, Jean-Louis, Helen Weaver, and Allan Edmands. Larousse Encyclopedia of Astrology.New
York: New American Library, 1980.
Lee, Dal. Dictionary of Astrology.New York: Paperback Library, 1969.Ascendant Axis
[54] THEASTROLOGYBOOK