occultation

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)An astronomical event that occurs when one celestial object is hidden by another celestial object that passes between it and the observer when the nearer object appears larger and completely hides the more distant object.

   “[T]he diſtance of any place within this kingdom from it, will not much vary the manner of their Appearance in any of the Phænomena, except the Eclipſe of the Sun: for, in the Occultations, the Stars will appeare to paſs nearly under the ſame Angles and Spots of the Moon; […]”

   “[…] I was thrilled at the prospect of seeing the waning crescent Moon swing over Venus in the predawn sky on Wednesday morning, April 22, 2009. While the occultation was visible from much of North America, it was only in Arizona and parts of other surrounding states, where Wendee and I live, that the ingress would take place in a completely dark sky. It would be a highlight of the International Year of Astronomy, which reached its peak during 2009.”

2. (countable, uncountable)The state of being occult (“hidden, undetected”).

   “If Mr. [Thomas] Campbell's poetry was of a kind that could be forgotten, his long fits of silence would put him fairly in the way of that misfortune. […] [T]he re-appearance of such an author, after those long periods of occultation, is naturally hailed as a novelty—and he receives the double welcome of a celebrated stranger and a remembered friend.”

   “In western Europe, the most celebrated instance of the occultation of a river was that of the Rhone, near Bellegarde, on the confines of France and Savoy, about 18 miles from Geneva; but, alas, on visiting this interesting spot in the autumn of 1855, I found that the Perte du Rhone no longer exists; for the Sardinian Government, in which territory it was, had blown up the rocky roof, beneath which it had been engulfed, in order to facilitate the conveyance of timber on the river.”

3. (Shia, countable, uncountable)The disappearance of the Twelfth Imam, or Mahdi, who is believed alive and present in this world, but hidden until his reappearance at the end of time.

   “We are therefore, constantly hoping for the joy and happiness, personified in Imām al-Mahdi, the Imām who is alive at this very time, and who is himself awaiting the command of Allāh to reappear, so that he may strengthen the weak, and judge the oppressors. He will reappear "without having done Bay'ah to any oppressor". He went into occultation because he did not want [to] submit to any unjust ruler.”