Astrology House Systems
A house system is the method of calculations to create the astrology chart wherein all the planets are placed. Listed here are some better known methods.
These are based on dividing time or space. Some, as the Equal House System, do not work well in higher latitudes because they are too close to the North Pole. Some houses become too big and others disappear.
CAMPANUS
The campanus method uses the four angles as the house cusps of the first, forth, seventh and tenth houses and the division is linked to the four cardinal points. The originator is either Johannes (Johannes is the Latin version of John) Capanus or Giovanni di Campani who lived in the thirteenth century.
EQUAL HOUSE
The equal house system is the most simple but not always the preferred. The degree of the Ascendant is the basis for all the succeeding house cusps making each house begin at the same degree but in the following sign all the way through. When the Ascendant is calculated the rest of the calculations are not followed through with. The houses are equally divided with no interceptions and are the basis for the natural zodiac. The issue with this method is that the MC and IC axis can be anywhere between the eighth to second houses and the eleventh and fifth houses.The MC governs the tenth house so is significant in knowing about that area which this system does not consider.
KOCH
The Koch system is know as the birth place method using time for divisions and counted from the MC to the Ascendantmaking the birth place necessary in calculating the chart. This method considers the MC the most important angle and defines it as representing the ego. This comes from Dr. Walter Koch, a German astrologer who lived from 1895 to 1970.
PLACIDUS
The Placidus method comes from the seventeenth century mathematician, Placidus de Tito. It is based on the time taken for the Ascendant to become the MC. The method became preferred in the nineteenth century because it was used in Raphael’s ephemeris beginning in 1821. It considers intercepted signs.
PORPHYRY
The porphyry system was actively used from approximately 233 – c.304AD. Porphyry, a Greek philosopher was know for his metaphysical work on Ptolemy’s “Tetrabiblos” that was the main work relating to astrology. This system is based on division of the ecliptic and the houses are divided by trisecting the semi-arc of the Ascendant and Midheaven. The four angles are used, generally, for the first, fourth, seventh and tenth houses. Each quadrant is then divided equally as measured on the ecliptic.
REGIOMONTANUS
This method is seen more in very old astrology texts and is not often used anymore. It is based on the earth’s movement around the sun measured by the equator and the horizon. Regiomontanus was a fifteenth century astronomer named Johannes Muller.
SOLAR
This is a common method used when the birth time is unknown. The degree and sign of the sun is placed at the first house and becomes the Ascendant with succeeding houses following through with the rest of the sign in order on each house cusp. Note: When the birth time is unknown some astrologers do not use this method but prefer to use noon as the time creating a different type of solar chart.