What+is+asteroid+occultation?

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//examples: Eclipses and transits//
 * Occultation:** a situation where one body "covers" or "passes in front of" another body.


 * In a solar eclipse, the moon covers the sun for observers on the earth.
 * In a lunar eclipse, the earth covers the sun for observers on the moon.

Asteroid occultation refers to a situation in which an asteroid covers a star for observers on the earth- during the event, the asteroid momentarily hides the star. We use the term "asteroid's shadow" to refer to the "shadow" thrown by the asteroid with respect to the light from the occulted star. The time that the star is covered depends on the size of the asteroid, the distance from earth and it's speed in orbit. The vast majority of these occultations involve small asteroids and relatively dim stars, and these events would be very hard to detect with amateur equipment.