What does occulting mean?
Occulting is a present participle with two closely related uses. In general English, it means hiding or concealing something, as when fog obscures a view or an organization obscures information. In astronomy, an occulting object is one that passes in front of a brighter body and temporarily blocks its light: the Moon can occult a star, and a planet can occult one of its moons. The technical sense therefore describes the object doing the covering, while the everyday sense carries a slightly literary or formal tone and often suggests deliberate concealment. “Occulting” is especially useful because it distinguishes blocking light from the effect experienced by the blocked object, which is called an occultation. It appears in technical discussion of eclipses, transits, and planetary observations, but can also serve as an ordinary verb form in broader writing.
The present participle of occult: hiding, concealing, or obscuring something.
"Clouds were occulting the summit from the valley below."
This use occurs in general prose and often has a deliberately formal or literary tone.
Describing an object that passes in front of another celestial body and temporarily blocks its light.
"Astronomers tracked the occulting object as it moved across the bright star."
This is standard technical terminology in astronomy.
In astronomy, “occulting” means doing the disappearing: one celestial body passes in front of another and hides its light.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of occulting
Occulting is the English present participle of occult, which was borrowed from Old French occult, ultimately from Latin occultus (“hidden”) and occultāre (“to conceal”). Latin occultāre developed from occulere (“to hide”), which is related to celare (“to hide”), the root also reflected in English conceal. Occultation and occultism continue to use this inherited Latin material.
How occulting is actually used
The general sense is somewhat literary or formal and can suggest deliberate concealment. The astronomical sense is standard technical English and is especially common in discussions of transits, eclipses, and planetary occultations.