ScienceAugust 4, 2026
occultations
ok-ul-TAY-shunz
Definition
Astronomical events where a celestial body, such as a star, is hidden from view by another object, like a planet, passing between it and the observer.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'occultare', meaning 'to hide' or 'to conceal', which itself is a frequentative form of 'occulere' (to cover up).
In the news
In this article, researchers use stellar occultations to measure Pluto's thin atmosphere by observing how the planet blocks the light of distant stars.
Pluto’s Atmosphere May Finally Be Starting to Collapse
Read the full article ↗Gizmodo