The Reason Your Moon Sign Meaning Is More Important Than You Thought

Moon signs are identical to the symbols of astrology that we know, love, and whose characteristics we most likely reflect. But unlike sun signs (which we're familiar with), astrologers say we ought to be looking at our moon signs too, because they are just as important and are every bit as significant to our star charts. If you're into astrology (even to the point where you're planning baby names based on zodiac signs), then you might already be familiar with them — but if you're not, it can be interesting to note that your moon sign can differ from your sun sign. 

Our sun signs govern the conscious, active parts of our personalities, while our moon charts shed light on the unconscious — the hidden parts of who we are. So if you've ever wondered why your hidden desires, emotional needs, and emotional reactions make you an atypical representative of your star sign, you can probably thank (or blame) or moon sign for the quirks that make your Capricorn different from your friend's Capricorn, despite the fact that your birthdays are just a few days apart (via Cosmopolitan). 

In the same way, if your moon sign is identical to your sun sign, you'd probably be a much more intense version of that sign than other people with the same star sign as you. Think of a Virgo whose moon sign is also a Virgo... you get the point.

Allure astrologist Aliza Kelly Faragher says that because the moon makes one complete trip around the earth every 27 1/2 days, moon signs actually change every two and a half days, which means in order to calculate your moon sign properly, you'll need the date, time, and place of your birth, as well as a moon sign calculator like this one on Cafe Astrology.

But your sun and moon signs are not the only things that make you who you are. Elite Daily says traditional astrologists look at other factors like your rising or ascendant sign, which indicates not only how you interact with other people, it can reflect the personality type which you show the people you interact with. 

They also look at the position of the planets in the solar system to determine where they were at the time you were born. "The inner planets move faster and are closer to Earth, therefore closer to you, so their effect is on your emotions, habits and thought patterns," says astrologist Tara Schulenberg. "These are the planets that you'll notice have the most influence on your day-to-day life." So if you want to build a really accurate star chart that builds a complete picture of you, you might want to hand that task over to an expert.