Glossary term

Descendant

The zodiac degree setting on the western horizon, directly opposite the Ascendant in a chart.

  • Chart Angles
  • Houses
  • Birth Chart

The Descendant is the zodiac degree setting where the ecliptic meets the western horizon for a stated time and location. It lies directly opposite the Ascendant in the chart.

Many house systems use it as the seventh-house cusp, though house conventions should always be declared. Its calculation is time- and location-sensitive, so an unknown birth time cannot support a definite Descendant.

Astrology associates this angle with one-to-one relationships, encounter, and qualities considered through another person. That is a reflective convention, not a method for diagnosing a partner or predicting a relationship outcome.