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
To reach the new conclusions, a team of researchers analyzed Juno's radio occultation data, which essentially allows the spacecraft to peer through Jupiter's dense clouds in order to understand the planet's internal structure.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Lunar coverups like this are called occultations.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
For some lucky stargazers, the spectacle continues on Feb. 2, when the moon briefly passes in front of Regulus in a rare occultation.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
The occultation will last less than an hour, after which Regulus will reappear on the other side of the moon.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occultation
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Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
Lunar coverups like this are called occultations.
—Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2026
For some lucky stargazers, the spectacle continues on Feb. 2, when the moon briefly passes in front of Regulus in a rare occultation.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 Jan. 2026
The occultation will last less than an hour, after which Regulus will reappear on the other side of the moon.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occultation
Cite this Entry
“Occultation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occultation. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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