Whole sign houses explained (and why Tutelox uses them)
Updated September 25, 2026
In the whole sign house system, the entire sign your ascendant falls in becomes the 1st house, the next sign the 2nd, and so on — twelve houses, each exactly one sign. It's the oldest house system, it's simple to read, and it works at any latitude, which is why Tutelox uses it. Placidus and other quadrant systems divide the sky by time or space and can produce uneven houses.
Example
Rising sign 18° Virgo → 1st house Virgo, 2nd Libra, … 10th Gemini.
Compared with Placidus
| Whole sign | Placidus | |
|---|---|---|
| House size | Always 30° | Uneven |
| Starts at | 0° of rising sign | Exact ascendant degree |
| Midheaven | Can fall in 9th–11th | Always the 10th cusp |
| Extreme latitudes | Works | Can break down |
Why we chose it
Clarity for readers, robustness, and a long tradition. (Supporting Placidus later would require licensed software; see our methodology.)
Questions
- Why does my 10th house differ from another app?
- Probably because the other app uses Placidus.
- Is whole sign more accurate?
- House systems are conventions, not measurements.
- Can I switch house systems?
- Not yet.
- Do I need a birth time?
- Yes, to know your rising sign.
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See my briefBy the Tutelox editorial team. Positions come from NASA JPL ephemeris calculations; the writing is AI-assisted and reviewed by people. How we make this.
For entertainment and self-reflection. Not professional advice.