occultation

noun

oc·​cul·​ta·​tion ˌä-(ˌ)kəl-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the state of being hidden from view or lost to notice

2

: the interruption of the light from a celestial body or of the signals from a spacecraft by the intervention of a celestial body

especially : an eclipse of a star or planet by the moon

Examples of occultation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The light seen during such an eclipse can later be compared with the total light both before and after the occultation to give us a sense of the light that’s reflected off the planet. —Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 4 May 2024

Below these are items that discuss upcoming sky events such as meteor showers, eclipses, and lunar occultations. —PCMAG, 16 May 2024

This will favor people farther to the west, where the moon will be higher above the horizon at the time of the occultation. —Phil Plait, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2024

Exactly how long the occultation lasts will depend on the size of the star and asteroid, which are not precisely known. —Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English occultacion, borrowed from Latin occultātiōn-, occultātiō "concealment, interruption of light from a celestial body," from occultāre "to prevent from being seen, conceal, keep secret" + -tiōn- -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at occult entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1