What Is the Midheaven Sign in Astrology—and What Can It Tell You?

If you’ve ever spent time looking at your birth chart, you’re aware of how, in astrology, the planets influence your overall cosmic personality. Your sun sign represents your outward traits; the moon expresses emotional perceptions; and your rising sign symbolizes first impressions (how people perceive you). But there’s another important aspect to your chart that explains a crucial part of your personality—and while it’s not a planet per se, your Midheaven sign is the point in your chart that can tell you a great deal about your public persona and goals.

Your birth chart is composed of different planets, points, and 12 astrological houses that represent various parts of your personality. One of these points, the Midheaven, is at the top of your natal chart and concerns, among other things, your talents, career, and external achievements. “The Midheaven represents your public reputation throughout life,” says professional astrologer Erin River Sunday. “It also relates to your legacy, or what people remember about you after you’re gone.”

Whether you’re looking to deepen your understanding of yourself or your life path, looking to your Midheaven can be a great way to play to your professional strengths. Keep reading to learn about what the Midheaven means in astrology.

What is midheaven in astrology?

The Midheaven in astrology refers to the highest point of your birth chart, “and therefore the most visible place,” explains Sunday. In the same way that it points to the most noticeable part of your natal chart, canonically, the Midheaven expresses public-facing matters: career, ambitions, and life-long goals. Are you seen as a dedicated and focused leader, or do you lean more towards a good time? Your Midheaven offers insight into the kind of person you aim to be in the public eye.

While your professional life may ebb and flow throughout the years, ultimately, the Midheaven “provides a general sense about the person you are in the world,” explains Sunday. Knowing the energies in your Midheaven, you can see where you shine as a leader and how others perceive you.

It’s important to note that in your birth chart, the zodiac signs and planets located in your Midheaven realm influence your aspirations’ overall energy. For example, if your Midheaven is in Capricorn, and Mars (the planet of action and passion) is also located in your Midheaven, it could mean that you’re particularly invested in the success of your career, or that you’ll stop at nothing to be at the top in your industry.

What can your midheaven tell you?

Just like you can use astrological compatibility to determine how well you’ll get along with someone based on their zodiac signs, you can use your Midheaven to ascertain fields of interest professionally. “It can tell you if you’re more likely to be an entrepreneur, if you might like to work from home, or if you’d be likely to stay in the same career for your whole life,” explains Sunday.

The energy of the Midheaven works similarly when planets are transiting. Whenever planets cross over into your Midheaven or make an aspect to your Midheaven, you’re impacted in a very personal way. “The work you’re meant to do in the world (whether it’s through a paid position or not) will be highlighted,” Sunday says. The transiting planets through your Midheaven can show you when your reputation will be targeted. For example, a harsh aspect to your Midheaven, like a square or opposition, might point to tension with others, professional blunders, or facing public backlash.

How do you find your midheaven in your birth chart?

To locate your Midheaven in your birth chart, you can plug in your birthday, the time you were born, and where you were born in a Midheaven generator like this one from Cafe Astrology, or you can consult a professional astrologer. Looking at your birth chart, the Midheaven will be marked with an “MC,”  derived from the Latin word Medium Coeli, meaning “middle of the sky,” Sunday says.

Typically, astrologers and astrological apps will use the Placidus house system, so the Midheaven will be located in the 10th astrological house. However, because astrologers use different house systems, the Midheaven might also be located in the 9th, 10th, or 11th astrological houses. Where your Midheaven is located depends on the house system you prefer to use.

Whatever house system you choose to use, though, knowing the energies at play in your Midheaven can deepen your knowledge of yourself—and help you step into your prowess.