Lunar Occultations

Total or grazing lunar occultations are among the events with the longest tradition in occultation astronomy.

For total lunar occultations as well as for grazing lunar occultations, the precise knowledge of the lunar limb is an absolute prerequisite. The MOONLIMB program does provide such precise data. An overview is given here.

Grazing Occultations of stars by the moon are local events and thus require an individual selection according to personal observation preferences. The GRAZPREP-software assists in all aspects of finding individually interesting events as well as selecting the best observing stations promising the most contacts between the star and the lunar limb in high resolution. If you are interested in these fascinating events, have a look here.

Members of IOTA get for their own observing stations predictions of lunar occultations, either total or grazing ones, specially calculated for their observatory and/or travel radius in case of mobile stations. Some bright total lunar occultations, as can be seen from a point in central Europe (Frankfurt a.M.) are given as follows for the year 2022:

Occultation prediction for Frankfurt, Germany

E. Longitude    8 39  0.0,  Latitude  50  8 30.0,  Alt.    0m;  Telescope dia 15cm;  dMag 0.0

       day  Time     P   Star  Sp  Mag  Mag    % Elon Sun  Moon   CA   PA  VA  AA
 y   m  d  h  m   s       No  D     v    r V  ill     Alt Alt Az   o    o   o   o
22 May 13  1  5 27.5 D    1821SF0  2.8     s  87+ 138     14 249  52N  78  41  57
22 May 13  1  6 10.3 D X 54027SF0  3.5  3.3s  87+ 138     14 250  52N  78  41  56
22 Jun 15 22  0 21.4 r    2784cK1  3.3  2.7   97- 159      3 142  80S 266 293 274
22 Aug  6 21 50 47.1 D    2290cB0  2.3*    V  66+ 108      4 226  36N  47  16  37
22 Sep 14 22 21  2.9 R Uranus      5.7  5.7   77- 123     27  95  86N 258 300 273
22 Dec  5 16 39 38.1 D Uranus      5.7  5.7   94+ 152 -11 25  94  38N  20  62  35
22 Dec  8  5  3 57.3 D Mars       -1.9 -1.9  100+ 178     21 285   8N  87  44  92
22 Dec  8  6  0 31.0 R Mars       -1.9 -1.9  100+ 178 -11 12 294   3S 267 227 272

Explanations you find here.

Occultations of Planets by the Moon

The Moon regularly occults inner and outer planets. These occultations have no scientific value but show the dynamics of our Solar system impressively.

Upcoming Occultations in Europe in 2022 - 2027