What is the direction of an ascending pass for an amateur satellite?

In orbital mechanics, an amateur satellite orbits the Earth while the Earth rotates on its axis beneath it. An 'ascending pass' or 'ascending node' refers to the portion of the orbit where the satellite crosses the equator moving toward the North Pole. Therefore, the direction of an ascending pass is strictly from south to north. Conversely, a 'descending pass' occurs when the satellite moves from north to south. The east-west apparent movement is a result of the Earth's rotation and the satellite's orbital inclination, but 'ascending' always refers to the latitudinal direction.