| 释义 |
occultation|ɒkəlˈteɪʃən|
[ad. L. occultātiōn-em, n. of action from occultāre: see prec. Cf. F. occultation in Astron. (a 1500 in Godef. Compl.).]
The action of occulting or fact of being occulted.
1. Hiding, concealment (obs. in gen. sense); the fact of being cut off from view by something interposed. Now only scientific or technical: see also 2.
1432–50tr. Higden (Rolls) III. 177 Suche occultacion other hidenge of kynges myȝhte be welle in the londe off Persides. 1582N. Test. (Rhem.) p. xxvi, St. Augustine saith..In the Old Testament there is the occultation of the Newe; and in the New Testament there is the manifestation of the Old. 1678Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iv. §32. 508 Ignorantly attributing the Passions of Fruits, (their Appearances and Occultations) to the Gods..that preside over them. 1760–72tr. Juan & Ulloa's Voy. (ed. 3) I. 444 At its occultation behind the Panecello its light was very faint. 1882Standard 31 Mar. 1/3 The Light will be under occultation three times in quick succession every Minute.
2. Astron.
†a. The disappearance of a star in the sun's rays when in an apparent position near that of the sun. Obs.
b. The concealment of one heavenly body by another passing between it and the observer, as of a star or planet by the moon, or of a satellite by its primary planet. (Also, the concealment of a heavenly body behind the body of the earth; so in circle of perpetual occultation, for which see circle n. 2 a.)
Commonly applied only in those cases in which the occulting body is of much greater apparent magnitude than that occulted; the (partial or total) concealment of the sun by the moon is called an eclipse. In the case of Jupiter's satellites, an eclipse takes place when a satellite passes into the planet's shadow, an occultation when it passes behind the planet's disk.
1551Recorde Cast. Knowl. (1556) 196 When anye starre is so nyghe vnto the Son that the Sonne doothe take awaye or hyde the lyghte of it, it oughte to bee called the Hydynge or occultation of that starre, and not the settynge of that starre. 1613Jackson Creed i. xxx. §6 The eleuation of the pole..doth giue vs the degrees of the others occultation. 1669Flamstead in Phil. Trans. IV. 1102 In this Occultation,..the Center of the Moon passes very near the Star. 1827Whately Logic (1837) 294 Those who..registered the times of occultation of Jupiter's satellites. 1856Kane Arct. Expl. I. xiii. 148 We had an occultation of Saturn at 2 a.m.
c. fig. Disappearance from view or notice.
1825Jeffrey Ess. (1846) II. 199 The re-appearance of such an author after those long periods of occultation. 1840Hood Kilmansegg, Marriage xxvii, To cloud the face of the honeymoon With a dismal occultation! 1892A. Birrell Res Judic. vi. 206 The prospect of the coming occultation of personally disagreeable authors. |