Astrology questions, answered simply

What are the 12 houses in astrology?

The short answer

The houses split the birth chart into twelve areas of life. A planet's sign shows how it acts, its house shows where in your life it plays out. The houses depend on your birth time and place.

A little more detail

In short: 1 self and appearance, 2 money and values, 3 communication and siblings, 4 home and family, 5 creativity and romance, 6 work routines and health habits, 7 partnerships, 8 shared resources and change, 9 travel and beliefs, 10 career and public life, 11 friends and groups, 12 rest and the inner world.

Empty houses are normal. Everyone has ten planets and twelve houses, so some houses are always empty. An empty house is still read through the sign on its cusp and that sign's ruling planet.

Where to look in your own chart

Houses with several planets: the areas of life that get most of your attention.
Your 1st, 4th, 7th and 10th house cusps: the four angles of the chart.
The house your Sun is in: where you most want to shine.

Questions people ask

Do I need my birth time for the houses?

Yes. The houses turn with the sky every day, so they depend on the exact time and place of birth.

What does an empty house mean?

Nothing is missing. It just means no planet sits there. The sign on the house cusp still describes that area of life.

Which house system is used?

There are several. Placidus is the most widely used in modern Western astrology; whole-sign houses are another common choice.

See it in your own chart

The Zodia birth chart study is about 46 colourful pages written from your exact birth date, time and place: your Sun, Moon and Rising, every planet in its sign and house, your key aspects and your balance of elements. One PDF by email, one-time purchase.

See the birth chart study · A$24.90