occultations
nounUK /ˌɒkʌlˈteɪʃənz/
US /ˌɑːkʌlˈteɪʃənz/
Occultations are times when one thing in space, like the Moon, moves in front of another and hides it from view.
Astronomers watched several occultations of stars by the Moon last night.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The act of hiding or blocking something from sight.
The thick fog caused an occultation of the distant hills.
3. In biology, the process by which one part of an organism is hidden by another during growth.
The occultation of the young leaves protected them inside the bud.
4. The state of being hidden or cut off from view.
The sudden occultation of the sun by clouds surprised the picnickers.