In an astrological chart of any type, each of the 12 zodiac signs occupies 30 degrees of the astrology wheel. 

In addition, there are 12 houses in an astrology chart, and each house is a section or slice of the pie representing different parts of your life. Unlike the zodiac signs, however, these houses can have different sizes and are not limited to 30 degrees.

The further you get from the equator, the greater the difference in the house size. This can be understood by considering the midnight sun in the Antarctic region and the Ascendant, where the Sun rises.

What are intercepted houses in astrology?

An intercepted house occurs when the house is greater than 30 degrees and it accommodates an entire sign. The sign is totally enclosed in the house so therefore it does not appear at the beginning of any house.

RELATED: How To Read A Natal Chart & Find Your Purpose In Life

In other words, the entire sign is swallowed up by a house, so its beginning and ending degrees do not appear on house cusps.

When one sign or house is intercepted, the sign or house opposite or 180 degrees away is intercepted as well so you have one intercepted house or sign you will have another; never just one.

When a house is intercepted it expresses a dual type of energy as represented by the sign on the cusp.

With some systems of house division, however, no interception can occur. This is the case with equal house and whole house systems.

In equal house systems, if you have, for example, Cancer Rising (or any other sign), planets in this sign would all be in the first house, and each house would start at the degree of the Ascendant. In whole house systems, each house would begin with 0 degrees by sign, so there can be no intercepted houses or planets in these systems.

What is an intercepted planet?

An intercepted planet simply means the planet is in a sign that doesn’t appear on a house cusp.

For example, someone with a Scorpio Ascendant with Sagittarius on the cusp of the second house that contains Mars and Venus in Capricorn would be considered intercepted planets.

In whole or equal sign astrology, Mars and Venus would appear in the 3rd house, not the 2nd. There can be no intercepted planets in whole or equal sign astrology, any more than there could be intercepted signs.

Astrologers differ on the meanings of interceptions and what they represent in Placidus and other house systems that recognize interceptions. Intercepted houses and signs can express a dual energy, but intercepted planets may have a more difficult time expressing the energy.

Planets that are intercepted have a harder time in terms of expressing themselves and the energies they are meant to represent.

But in the bigger picture, a natal chart represents the soul or life purpose so this should not be viewed in a totally negative manner because there will be something to learn in the end that can only lead to growth. Therefore the interception must represent something in terms of life purpose and evolution that we are meant to learn or discover.

Intercepted signs and houses may be difficult to access in a positive manner and intercepted planets may feel "locked up" to a degree but there is huge potential once the personal psychology reaches a point of being unable to unlock the potential of the planet involved.

The psychology of intercepted planets and what they may mean in your chart

Intercepted Sun

The Sun represents the ego or the life core and who you really are.

If the Sun is intercepted you may not feel the extroverted energy this planet generally represents and you could have difficulty putting your plans into action and expressing your core being.

You could need a push to move toward or generate your goals but if you can get in touch with your own intuition and let it guide your decisions you may stimulate the confidence you need to move forward in a timely manner when you need to.

You may feel you have been denied praise.

RELATED: The 3 Most Challenging Sun Signs To Have, According To Astrology

Intercepted Moon

The Moon represents our emotions, or emotional self, family and early childhood.

If the Moon is intercepted you may feel that your intuition is higher than normal. You may, however, have a harder time expressing your emotional needs to others than someone who does not have an intercepted Moon.

In early life, your emotions may have been denied.

RELATED: How To Use The House Your Moon Is In To Connect With Your Emotions

Intercepted Mercury

You may feel more guided by your own intuition if Mercury is intercepted.

This may be a far more reflective Mercury than others and you could have a harder time expressing yourself verbally in certain situations although this by no means cuts back on intelligence. You may have a never-ending type of curiosity and value honesty most of all.

RELATED: What Your Mercury Sign Means & How Its Placement Affects You

Intercepted Venus

If Venus is intercepted you may have the desire to get to know others — especially lovers — on a much deeper as opposed to superficial surface. You could have a hard time with confidence and love or feel you have been unduly denied love. You could question your own values.

The ultimate saving grace in this situation is self-love.

RELATED: The Way You Love Others (And Yourself), According To Your Venus Sign

Intercepted Mars

Ambition, or at least finding a positive way to express your desires and actions, may be more difficult to come by since Mars rules our actions.

Sometimes you have to make a decision in a certain direction as opposed to floundering around because there can be so many different directions. Making a choice and moving forward can be better than constantly looking at all options and never taking action.

RELATED: What Motivates You The Most, According To Your Mars Sign

Intercepted Jupiter

You may feel that you never get a lucky break or that you weren’t given enough direction early on. You could feel that you never get a chance to reach or attain your greatest potential.

When you focus on finding your own optimism as opposed to focusing on what is important in cultural or worldly terms you can unlock your own luck and find your own highest potential.

RELATED: What Your Jupiter Sign Means & How To Find It In Your Natal Chart

Intercepted Saturn

Since Saturn represents restrictions, obstacles and karma you could have a hard time figuring out the karmic lessons of Saturn when you don’t understand why you are having issues.

It is highly possible you were not given positive instruction or taught the right things to focus on in life as a child.

Tuning into yourself, using your intuition and most of all exercising patience with yourself is necessary if Saturn is intercepted in your chart.

RELATED: The Age You Were Forced To Mature, Based On Your Saturn Placement

Intercepted Uranus

Uranus is the planet of the unexpected and you may find it difficult to express your own personal uniqueness in the world in some way. People may think you are rebellious when you are not.

Finding ways to express your own unique nature in the world may help with this.

RELATED: What Your Uranus Sign Means In Astrology

Intercepted Neptune

You may feel that you never had your own personal dream or believe that certain things are impossible to attain. Neptune also rules literal dreams and psychic perceptions and you may feel an innate fear of trusting yourself in some way.

You need to allow yourself the right to optimism, love and the idea that you will find your own unique place in the world eventually.

RELATED: How To Find Your Neptune Sign And What It Means In Astrology

Intercepted Pluto

Pluto rules control and you could feel that others have controlled your life to a large degree.

It also rules darkness, death and issues that you believe you have no control over. You may feel that you have been placed in dark or unhealthy situations in life in some way.

Searching through and uncovering that darkness and exposing it to the light of day, whether through therapy, self-talk or friends, will help.

RELATED: What Your Pluto Sign Means — And How To Find Yours

Leslie Hale is a professional astrologer offering personal astrology readings worldwide by phone, WhatsApp, or Zoom.