Which term describes the obscuring of one celestial body by another passing into its shadow?

Which term describes the obscuring of one celestial body by another passing into its shadow?

• A. Eclipse
• B. Transit
• C. Occultation
• D. Conjunction

Answer: (A)

Eclipse describes the obscuring of one celestial body when it moves into the shadow cast by another. This captures the scenario where light is blocked because a body enters the shadow of another—like a Moon or Earth shadowing the other body during solar or lunar eclipses. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight on part of Earth; a lunar eclipse occurs when Earth lies between the Sun and Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon. Transit refers to a body crossing the face of another body but not necessarily into a shadow; occultation is when one object hides another from view, which can happen without involving a shadow in the same way; conjunction is simply an alignment with no obscuration.

Eclipse describes the obscuring of one celestial body when it moves into the shadow cast by another. This captures the scenario where light is blocked because a body enters the shadow of another—like a Moon or Earth shadowing the other body during solar or lunar eclipses. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking sunlight on part of Earth; a lunar eclipse occurs when Earth lies between the Sun and Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon.

Transit refers to a body crossing the face of another body but not necessarily into a shadow; occultation is when one object hides another from view, which can happen without involving a shadow in the same way; conjunction is simply an alignment with no obscuration.