Can astrology determine physical appearance?

Astrology doesn't necessarily determine the appearance. It is a small factor but not the whole makeup of human appearances as genes, environment take place.

No. Astrology can not "determine" physical appearance. It can only describe and make predictions based on symbolism.

Yes, it can! Both astrology and genetics can determine your appearance tbh. I have seen some good-looking Black women and ugly Virgo women. However, I have seen a HIGHER amount of good looking Virgo women THAN good looking Black women. Some Virgo women I have seen are really pretty, most are quite attractive or decent looking, but very few are ugly. Perhaps because many Virgo women have Libra Venus. I haven't met many pretty Black women, ONLY TWO of them, but maybe it is because I don't know many Black women in my town here. I have seen many pretty Virgo women, but NONE of them are Blacks. Even, I have not seen a good-looking Black Virgo women, I've only met five Black Virgo women and all of them are ugly. However, I have met a very hot Black woman, but she is not a Virgo, she is a Gemini. This Black Gemini women is much hotter than most Virgo women I have met. Black women are hit or miss.

No.

It is often said that the Ascendant/Rising Sign determines physical appearance, but this is just a misunderstanding of what it really means.

Your Ascendant/Rising Sign indicates the "appearance" of your PERSONALITY .. not your body.It is the superficial social mask you put on .. the behaviors you hide behind to feel safe ... when in a social situation where you have not yet become comfortable.  As soon as you relax, you drop the social mask and become your real self.Those who have social anxiety and never relax in a social situation may mistake their Ascendant as being their actual personality.Genetics determines physical appearance. Astrology is only an influence on your behavior.

I gave face-to-face readings for over 40 years, only for those who had specific birthdata so I knew their Ascendant was accurate ... and there is no reliable correlation between the Asc/Rising Sign and the physical appearance. But if you look at someone's natal chart BEFORE you meet them, they will walk through that door and ACT just like their Rising Sign .. until they relax with the reading.

You have to always compare the theory with your own experience, and you need to have ENOUGH samples to compare before your experience has validity.  Generally speaking, we need at least 1000 examples plus an equal-sized control group.

“All anyone can see in a birth chart are tendencies that will become facts if the person does not do something to alter them.” (Isabel M Hickey)

Why don’t you question the validity of astrology before seeking any details? Weed out what is false. The most experienced astrologer still can’t identify a sign by site. When somebody asks my birthday, I lie. The astrology believer still tries to form opinions.

Guess what? There has never been any actual research done on astrology stereotyping. Zero. Not on any of the variations. What organization would finance such a task? How do you research and conduct tests on magic based belief? Don’t take my word, look online.

Explain the possible physics of forces outside our planet that program us. On individual basis. Is it gravity or electromagnetism? No other options exist. Why do we look like our parents and not like astrology stereotypes?

Humans have a natural curiosity curiosity about how things work. Not in astrology. Those that promote astrology activity suppress this. They want ignorance. Never showing astrology works and how it works. 

Astrology is lies, fraud, and a first cousin to racism and sexism. Acceptable bigotry.

Astrology describes physical appearance.  It does not cause or determine it, any more than a written physical description determines what an individual looks like.  The descriptions are very general, such as tall, medium or below average height, hair color and thin, overweight, muscular etc.  Also the descriptions are of an adult in the prime of life. 

All of the old texts include physical descriptions of the signs and planets.  The idea is to blend the description of the rising sign with the descriptions associated with the ruling planet and aspects to the ASC and maybe the ruling planet.  Some might also "blend in" the bounds of the degree of the ASC. 

Here is one for the sign (not everyone with the Sun sign) Scorpio: "A corpulent, strong able body, somewhat a broad or square face, a dusky complexion, and sad, dark hair, much and crisping; a hair body somewhat bowlegged, short necked, a squat, well-trussed fellow."  Christian Astrology, William Lilly, 1647

Next the astrologer might look at aspects to the ASC probably limiting them to very tight orbs and then the planet Mars and tight aspects to it.   The idea, usually, was to verify birth times as clocks weren't very common when these texts were written. They might also take a detailed look at the native and attempt a rectification using the body type as a starting point.  They don't all agree with each other on every point.  In fact, I was recently reading a different astrologer from the early modern era and he said this particular field should be approached with caution as it wasn't well understood.  In other words he accepted the premise that it could be done, he just wasn't certain with the knowledge available to him it could be done well and consistently.  Up until the late 19th early - 20th centuries all astrology texts contained these descriptions. Then they stopped. Clocks and mirrors were more readily available.

I'm not real clear on why this interests so many on YA Horoscopes, perhaps they're looking to validate or invalidate astrology with it.  Neither conclusion makes sense using only this. 

Yes they can and not only through your rising sign but also through planets affecting your AC and landing in your first house, also genes play a part too.

Aries- Aries Rising natives will likely be of middle stature or taller. Their body is typically lean with a long or thin face and neck. They will usually have a ruddy complexion.

Taurus- Taurus rising natives are generally shorter in stature to middle height. They typically have strong bodies are may be rather stout or have a tendency to plumpness. Their shoulders may be stooped with a shorter, yet strong neck.

Gemini- Gemini Rising natives tend to be tall and slender with limber and flexible figure. They have fast and active body movements such as; walking fast, talking fast and eating fast. They have long arms, fingers and thin features.

Cancer-Cancer Rising natives are usually of average height and have a tendency to gain weight or have a stout body. They may have an awkward gait reflecting in their crab-like nature to come out of their shell, taking 1 step forward and 2 steps side-ways and then retreating backward into their shell.

Leo- Leo rising natives are usually broad shouldered because they can carry so much weight. They tend to have a strong muscular system, large bones and higher than normal upper body strength. Their upper body is usually bigger than their lower body, just like the lion.

Virgo- The Virgo native is usually of average height or a just a little above average height. They tend to be moderately plump, although well figured.

Libra-They have a well-formed body that is usually slender and most of the time they are tall individuals. When they reach middle age, they will have a tendency toward stoutness

Scorpio- Scorpio natives tend to be of average height or just below it. They can vacillate between stout and full formed figures. Their face is often square. The hair is usually thick, dark, wavy or curly. It may also be frizzy.

Sagittarius- Sagittarians tend to have a tall, slender and well formed figure. They stand high and walk high like the Centaur. They may have a tendency to stoop or slouch as if grazing for grass. Their face is typically long or oval with a more rounded forehead.

Capricorn- Capricorn's are usually average to short in stature. Their gait is somewhat "different." Because they rule bones and joints, they may have a liability to arthritis or scars and marks around the knees. Capricorn's have a tendency to be thin and sometimes downright bony.

Aquarius- Aquarians are usually of medium stature with a strong square-like build. They are well-formed in their figure. In their middle age they will typically have a tendency toward being stout. Aquarian's will have a clear, Good and clear complexion with a long or oval fleshy face. Their hair will vary from flaxen or (straw-colored) to dark or dark brown. They are usually Good-looking individuals

Pisces- Pisces natives tend to be middle to short statue with short limbs. They lean toward corpulence (obesity) in their later years. Their face is typically full or fleshy with a pale complexion. They also have a tendency to double-chin. Their eyes are full with a rather wide mouth (just like a fish). Pisces will have plenty of hair.

No.              

No, but genetics can.