Occulting: meaning, definitions and examples
🌒
occulting
[ əˈkʌl.tɪŋ ]
astronomy term
Occulting refers to the act of one celestial body obscuring another as observed from a specific vantage point. This term is often used in astronomy to describe phenomena like eclipses or the passing of one star in front of another. During such events, the light from the obscured body is temporarily blocked, which can be utilized by astronomers to gain insights into the properties of the objects involved.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The moon is occulting the sun during the solar eclipse.
- The astronomers observed the planet occulting a distant star.
- Occulting events help scientists study exoplanets.
Translations
Translations of the word "occulting" in other languages:
🇵🇹 ocultação
🇮🇳 गुप्त करना
🇩🇪 Verbergen
🇮🇩 menyembunyikan
🇺🇦 приховування
🇵🇱 ukrywanie
🇯🇵 隠すこと
🇫🇷 occultation
🇪🇸 ocultación
🇹🇷 gizleme
🇰🇷 숨기기
🇸🇦 إخفاء
🇨🇿 zakrývání
🇸🇰 zakrývanie
🇨🇳 隐藏
🇸🇮 skrivanje
🇮🇸 fela
🇰🇿 жасыру
🇬🇪 დამალვა
🇦🇿 gizlətmə
🇲🇽 ocultación
Etymology
The word 'occulting' derives from the Latin word 'occultare', a frequentative form of 'occultere', which means 'to hide' or 'to conceal'. The prefix 'ob-' in Latin implies 'against' or 'in front of', while 'cultere' relates to the verb 'to cover'. In its transition through Middle English, it maintained its roots but expanded to include various contexts, especially in science and astronomy. Historically, the term has been associated with both the physical act of hiding something from view and the metaphorical concealment of knowledge. In modern usage, particularly in astronomy, it encapsulates phenomena where objects block light, a critical concept for understanding cosmic structures and their interactions.