House Division

HOUSE DIVISION
Signs and Houses are not the same. Signs are twelve-fold divisions
of the zodiac which is a belt of space along the ecliptic extending
to 8° on either side. Planets traverse through the signs at different
speeds in their own orbits slightly inclined to the ecliptic.
Houses are divisions of space below and above the horizon of a

place. We know that the earth rotates and also revolves round the
Sun. Because of the diurnal motion of the earth, the planets appear
to rise in the eastern horizon of the place, reach the mid-heaven
and set in the West.
The above picture shows the principle of house division.
The horizontal line (East to West) is the horizon of the place. The
inner circle is the ecliptic. Z is the zenith, the point above head in
any particular locality. It is not the Medium Coeli which is South of
it (the M.C. is the highest point the Sun reaches on any particular
day). The sun and the other planets travel along the ecliptic.
The houses are marked 1, 2, 3 etc. Houses 1 to 6 are below the
horizon (night houses). Houses 7 to 12 are above the horizon ( day
houses ).
The Ascendant, generally, is the point where the ecliptic cuts the
horizon of the place.
As the pole of the earth is inclined at 23 1/2° to the ecliptic and

the earth is elliptical in shape, at any given moment, the heavens
portray different pictures at different places.
There are various systems of house division, a discussion of which

is beyond the scope of this article. However we shall give a brief
account of the different house systems. They can be broadly
classified into three types, based on the Ecliptic, Time and Space.
To understand the principles behind the various systems of house
division, the following points must be borne in mind.
Definition of Terms
CELESTIAL SPHERE: The sphere formed by the extension of the space

surrounding the Earth.
CELESTIAL EQUATOR: A great circle parallel to the Earth's equator projected

into the celestial sphere along which right ascension is measured.
CO-LATITUDE: The complementary angle of the terrestrial latitude. The city

of Bangalore is located at 13° North terrestrial latitude; the co-latitude of
Bangalore is 77° (the angular distance of the place from the earth's
North Pole).
CO-EQUATOR: The mirror image of the earth's equator (the equator which is
mathematically associated with the co-latitude of a locality on the earth).
CO-POLAR AXIS CIRCLE: The great circle formed when the mathematics
used to derive the polar axis circle is mirrored from the Earth's poles, rather
than from the Earth's equator.
ECLIPTIC: That great circle of the celestial sphere which the Sun traces,
when seen from the Earth, in its annual motion.
EQUATORIAL SYSTEM: A sphere of space using the celestial equator as its

main central circle or equator.
GREAT CIRCLE: A circle contained within the celestial sphere which has as
its center the center point of the celestial sphere.
HOUR CIRCLE: A great circle which is perpendicular to the Celestial Equator

and which passes through a particular body in space.
CELESTIAL HORIZON: A great circle of the celestial sphere formed by the

projection of the horizon of a locality on the earth.
HOUSE CIRCLE: A great circle which has as its poles the North and South
points of Horizon and which is perpendicular to the Prime Vertical.
LOCAL SIDEREAL TIME: The time calculated for a horoscope when a time of
event is added to the longitude correction, the time zone correction, the
acceleration, the delta T correction, and ephemeris.
MERIDIAN: A great circle of the Horizon system which passes through the
Zenith, the nadir, and the North and South points of the horizon.
ZENITH: The North Pole of the horizon system. The point of the horizon
system which is over your head.
NADIR: The South Pole of the Celestial Horizon, Opposite to the Zenith.
OBLIQUITY: The angle in space formed between the ecliptic and the
celestial equator. At present it is 23°-27" and is decreasing slowly with
time.
POLAR AXIS CIRCLE: A great circle which passes through the North and
South Poles of the Earth and the East and West points of the Horizon.
VERTICAL CIRCLE: A great circle perpendicular to the Horizon, passing

through the Zenith and the Nadir.
PRIME VERTICAL: A great circle which passes through the Zenith, the Nadir
and the East and West points of the Horizon of the place perpendicular to
the Meridian.
ZODIAC: A broad band of space of the celestial sphere extending to 8° on

either side of the ecliptic. This is like a window. The constellations lying
several light years away visible through this window
are taken for astrological considerations. The Zodiac is divided into 12 solar
mansions starting from Aries and 27 lunar mansions with the asterism
Ashwini as the beginning.
Earth System Equatorial Sys. Ecliptic System Horizon
System
North & South Poles Celestial Poles Ecliptic Poles Zenith; Nadir
Equator Celestial Equator Ecliptic Horizon
Latitude Declination Zodiacal Latitude Altitude
Co-Latitude Polar Distance Polar Elevation Zenith
Distance
Parallels of Latitude, Diurnal Circles Latitude Circles Altitude
or Latitude Circles Circles
Meridians Hour Circles Longitude Circles Vertical
Circles
Longitude Right Ascension Zodiacal Longitude Azimuth Angle
Greenwich Meridian Hour Circle of Aries Local Meridian Prime Vertical
Sensitive Points Its opposite Intersection of

the Ecliptic and the
Ascendant Descendant Horizon
Medium Coile Imum Coile (IC) Meridian
(MC)
Equatorial ASC Equatorial DSC Polar Axis
Vertex Equatorial Prime Vertical
Ascendant
Co-Ascendant Co-Descendant Co-Equator
Polar Ascendant Polar Descendant Co-Polar Axis Circle
The Vernal The Autumnal Equator
Equinox Equinox
Moon's North South Node Plane of the Moon's
Node Orbit
Ecliptic based house systems

I. EQUAL HOUSES
a) The intersection of the horizon and the ecliptic is taken as the ascendant.
The other houses are 30° in length, starting from the ascendant along
the ecliptic. Note that the cusp of the X house is not the Meridian Coile.
b) The MC is taken as the reference point and the other houses are equal in
measure along the ecliptic. Note that the ascendant is not the intersection
of the horizon and the ecliptic.
c) The Whole Sign system: The sign which contains the ascendant is taken
as a whole and this is the first house. The starting point of the house is 0°
of the sign. The Whole Sign system is the one followed by most
traditional astrologers.
II. QUADRANT SYSTEMS
The arc of the ascendant and MC (cusp of the X) is taken as the basis and
other cusps are determined. For example Porphyry trisects this arc to get
the cusps of house XII and XI. Cusps of houses II and III are got
by trisecting the arc of the ascendant and the IC. Cusps of other houses lie
opposite to these houses.
TIME BASED SYSTEMS
The Koch house system, also known as the Birthplace system, is a time-
based system introduced by Walter Koch. For cusps above the horizon: the
semi-diurnal arc is trisected; then, altitude circles (small circles parallel to
the horizon) are drawn through the points of trisection; the cusps are
determined by the intersections of these altitude circles with the ecliptic.
For cusps below the horizon: the semi-nocturnal arc is used. The MC and
ascendant are the same respectively, as in the quadrant systems.
This system fails in high latitudes.
The Placidian, Topocentric, Regiomontanus are examples of some more

Time based house systems.
SPACE BASED HOUSE SYSTEMS
Meridian House System

The Meridian house system was proposed by the Australian astrologer Zariel
(David Cope). This system is also called the Equatorial House System.
Equal mid-heaven houses on the equator are projected by meridian circles

of right ascension to the ecliptic. Each house is exactly two sidereal hours
long. The MC is the cusp of the tenth house and the Equatorial Ascendant is
the cusp of the first house.
Each house system has its own merits and demerits. Some systems do not
work on high latitudes; some others are based on complex and fascinating
mathematical factors but not much of astrological relevance.
It is one's experience and purpose which could decide on which system is

the best.
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HOUSE DIVISION

Houses are divisions of space below and above the horizon of a

The above picture shows the principle of house division.

As the pole of the earth is inclined at 23 1/2° to the ecliptic and

There are various systems of house division, a discussion of which

CELESTIAL SPHERE: The sphere formed by the extension of the space

CELESTIAL EQUATOR: A great circle parallel to the Earth's equator projected

CO-LATITUDE: The complementary angle of the terrestrial latitude. The city

EQUATORIAL SYSTEM: A sphere of space using the celestial equator as its

HOUR CIRCLE: A great circle which is perpendicular to the Celestial Equator

CELESTIAL HORIZON: A great circle of the celestial sphere formed by the

VERTICAL CIRCLE: A great circle perpendicular to the Horizon, passing

ZODIAC: A broad band of space of the celestial sphere extending to 8° on

Sensitive Points Its opposite Intersection of

Ecliptic based house systems

II. QUADRANT SYSTEMS

TIME BASED SYSTEMS

The Placidian, Topocentric, Regiomontanus are examples of some more

Meridian House System

Equal mid-heaven houses on the equator are projected by meridian circles

It is one's experience and purpose which could decide on which system is

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