Imum Coeli (IC) — Astrology glossary

The Imum Coeli, abbreviated IC from the Latin for bottom of the sky, is the lowest point of the chart and the cusp of the fourth house. It lies directly opposite the Midheaven, forming the chart's vertical axis. Astrologers read it as the private root of a person: home, family, ancestry, and the emotional base they return to away from public view. It matters because it balances the career-oriented Midheaven, showing where someone draws their sense of belonging rather than recognition. For example, a person with the IC in Cancer is often deeply tied to family memory and a physical home that feels like a refuge, and may build their whole adult life around recreating or repairing that early sense of safety, even while pursuing a very different public role at the Midheaven.