House

The zodiac circle is usually divided into sectors which are called houses. The size and number of these sections varies according to the method of house division used. The three major systems used today are Equal, Koch and Placidus. Both Equal and Koch always divide the circle into twelve segments, but in the Equal House system the divisions are equal - each containing 30 degrees - whereas in the Koch system the sectors vary slightly in the number of occupied degrees. House sizes in the Placidus system vary enormously depending upon the country of birth, with extreme northern latitudes producing a combination of very large and very small (or non-existent houses) - one reason why this system has waned in popularity during the twentieth century.

Each of the twelve houses represents a different area of life and may or may not contain planets, depending upon the time of birth.

See also Angular Houses, Succedent Houses and Cadent Houses.

Related Articles:

• Houses
• Planets in Houses

Horizon      House Cusp