Ascended or Closer to the Stars

Sorry if this has been covered before, but the search function just doesn'f function here at my work for some reason.

My question is this... If a Tyrian character, does the "Closer to the Stars" mission rather than going the long route through the desert for normal Ascension, does that count for being ascended?

The reason I'm asking, is that I started my first necro in Tyria and want to get her UW ready asap. It just seems that going to LA and then to Cantha would be a much faster route than the desert if that would work.

And yes I know it would probably be nearly as quick to start a new Canthan character and just do it that way, but I'm kind of attached to her already... lol

I believe that that counts, but I was also under the impression that just being level 20 was "ascended"

Yes, completing Naphui mission is the same as the Ascension in the desert. You can access UW/FOW at the Temple after completing the quests to get there and the mission

I understand that. What I'm asking and I apologize if this was the answer to my actual question (My job can be rather mind numbing at times ), but can a TYRIAN character becaome Closer to the Stars and enter UW/FoW without doing the desert missions?

Afaik yeah... but don't shoot me if this is not the case...

What guildwiki has to say on the subject:

http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Ascend

I'd say either will work.

They seem to be different concepts to me, but they serve the same purpose in-game, that being to gain access into UW/FOW.