| Term: | Occultation |
| Definition: |
The blocking of light from an astronomical object, such as a star, by another object, such as the Moon or an asteroid, that passes in front of it. Also, the period of time for which this blocking takes place. A solar eclipse is a particular case of occultation. Determining the moment of stellar occultation by the Moon is used to improve our knowledge of the lunar orbit. Moreover, the occultation of stars by asteroids or planetary satellites provide important data for better measuring the sizes of the occulting bodies. |