Sky science
Occultation
Direct answer
Occultation: An Occultation occurs when a nearer celestial body passes in front of a more distant object and temporarily hides it from an observer.
An Occultation is the temporary hiding of one celestial object by another.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Related
- Astronomy, Skywatching, Celestial Sphere, Ecliptic
An Occultation is the temporary hiding of one celestial object by another.
A scientific orientation to scale, light, or motion; the article supplies the precise definition.
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The story behind Occultation
Timed occultations have long supported positional astronomy and have helped astronomers refine or discover physical properties of distant objects.
A one-minute story
The Wandering Stars
How the moving planets were watched, named and found, and what a transit is.
Why Occultation matters
Occultations are sharply timed, location-dependent events that can reveal object sizes, positions, atmospheres, or ring structures.
Occultation in practice: an example
The Moon can occult a star for observers in one region while missing it entirely from another latitude.
Where readings of Occultation go wrong
A common error is to publish one universal event time or visibility claim without checking the observer's location.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Astronomical Almanac Glossary - Reference definitions for astronomical coordinates, events, calendars, and time scales.
- U.S. Naval Observatory: Complete Sun and Moon Data - Authoritative astronomical data services for positions, phases, and rise and set events.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Astronomy & Skywatching
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
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Common questions
What is an Occultation?
An Occultation occurs when a nearer celestial body passes in front of a more distant object and temporarily hides it from an observer.
What do people get wrong about an Occultation?
A common error is to publish one universal event time or visibility claim without checking the observer's location.
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