Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- SUPPLEMENT
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES
- Errata
- A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy
- BOOK I A SKETCH OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- BOOK II ECLIPSES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PHENOMENA
- CHAPTER I GENERAL OUTLINES
- CHAPTER II ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER III THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 28, 1851
- CHAPTER IV THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MARCH 14–15. 1858
- CHAPTER V THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 18, 1860
- CHAPTER VI HISTORICAL NOTICES
- CHAPTER VII ECLIPSES OF THE MOON
- CHAPTER VIII SUGGESTIONS FOR OBSERVING ANNULAR ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER IX TRANSITS OF THE INFERIOR PLANETS
- CHAPTER X OCCULTATIONS
- BOOK III THE TIDES
- BOOK IV MISCELLANEOUS ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA
- BOOK V COMETS
- BOOK VI CHRONOLOGICAL ASTRONOMY
- BOOK VII THE STARRY HEAVENS
- BOOK VIII ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
- BOOK IX A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY
- BOOK X METEORIC ASTRONOMY
- APPENDICES
- INDEX TO SUBJECTS
- INDEX TO NAMES
- Plate section
CHAPTER X - OCCULTATIONS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 July 2011
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- SUPPLEMENT
- Contents
- LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- PRINCIPAL AUTHORITIES
- Errata
- A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy
- BOOK I A SKETCH OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
- BOOK II ECLIPSES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED PHENOMENA
- CHAPTER I GENERAL OUTLINES
- CHAPTER II ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER III THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 28, 1851
- CHAPTER IV THE ANNULAR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF MARCH 14–15. 1858
- CHAPTER V THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN OF JULY 18, 1860
- CHAPTER VI HISTORICAL NOTICES
- CHAPTER VII ECLIPSES OF THE MOON
- CHAPTER VIII SUGGESTIONS FOR OBSERVING ANNULAR ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
- CHAPTER IX TRANSITS OF THE INFERIOR PLANETS
- CHAPTER X OCCULTATIONS
- BOOK III THE TIDES
- BOOK IV MISCELLANEOUS ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA
- BOOK V COMETS
- BOOK VI CHRONOLOGICAL ASTRONOMY
- BOOK VII THE STARRY HEAVENS
- BOOK VIII ASTRONOMICAL INSTRUMENTS
- BOOK IX A SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY
- BOOK X METEORIC ASTRONOMY
- APPENDICES
- INDEX TO SUBJECTS
- INDEX TO NAMES
- Plate section
Summary
When any celestial object is concealed by the interposition of another, it is said to be occulted, and the phenomenon is called an occultation. Strictly speaking, an eclipse of the Sun is an occultation of that luminary by the Moon, but usage has given to it the exceptional name of “ eclipse.” The most important phenomena of this kind are the occultations of the planets and larger stars by the Moon, but the occultation of one planet by another, on account of the rarity of such an occurrence is exceedingly interesting. Inasmuch as the Moon's apparent diameter is about ½°, it follows that all stars and planets situated in a zone extending ¼° on each side of her path, will necessarily be occulted during her monthly course through the ecliptic. The great brilliancy of the Moon entirely overpowers the smaller stars, but the disappearance of the more conspicuous ones are visible in a telescope, a table of which is inserted every year in the Nautical Almanac.
It must be remembered, that the disappearance always takes place at that limb of the Moon which is presented in the direction of its motion.
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- A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy , pp. 144 - 147Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1861