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 2025:

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
25 Apr  1 20 53 11.5 D     537SB6  3.7  3.8s  16+  47     15 290  80N  64  22  76
25 Apr  1 21 41 50   M     541SB8  3.9  3.9s  16+  48      8 299   8N 352 314   4
25 Apr  1 21 42 43.1 r     537SB6  3.7  3.8s  16+  48      7 299 -64N 280 241 291
25 Apr  1 21 47 37.0 D     552SB7  2.9  2.9s  16+  48      7 299  80S  84  46  96
25 Apr  1 22 23 33.8 D     560SB8  3.6  3.7s  17+  48      2 306  57S 107  72 119
25 Apr 17  1 46 26.8 D    2383cB0  2.8  2.9   85- 135     11 172 -17S 177 183 170
25 Apr 17  2 11 37.0 R    2383cB0  2.8  2.9   85- 135     12 178  18S 212 214 204
25 Jun  9 21 24 25.6 r    2287SB1  2.9  3.0v  98+ 163     13 169 -60N 293 301 282
25 Jun 26 20 26  1.9 d    1170dG8  3.6  3.1    3+  19  -6  4 303   6S 174 138 165
25 Jul  7 21 20  0   d    2383cB0  2.8  2.9   91+ 145     12 185  -1S 180 177 172
25 Jul  7 21 36 32   r    2383cB0  2.8  2.9   91+ 145     11 189 -23S 202 196 194
25 Sep 12 20 50 23.6 d     541SB8  3.9  3.9s  67- 110     10  64 -18N   4  44  16
25 Sep 12 20 57 29.4 R     537SB6  3.7  3.8s  67- 110     11  66  78N 268 308 280
25 Sep 12 21  2 50.4 D     552SB7  2.9  2.9s  67- 110     12  66 -68S  98 138 110
25 Sep 12 21 10 16.1 R     541SB8  3.9  3.9s  67- 110     13  68  29N 317 358 329
25 Sep 12 21 48 22.5 R     552SB7  2.9  2.9s  67- 110     19  74  56S 223 265 234
25 Sep 12 21 57 56   M     560SB8  3.6  3.7s  67- 110     20  76  -7S 160 203 172
25 Oct 30 22 30 52.1 D    3171cA7  3.7  3.5v  62+ 104      5 237  62N  42   8  60
25 Dec  4  3 18 55.0 D     537SB6  3.7  3.8s  99+ 167     28 275  69S 117  72 129
25 Dec  4  3 39 50.9 D     541SB8  3.9  3.9s  99+ 167     25 279  64N  70  26  82
25 Dec  4  4  4 54.6 r     537SB6  3.7  3.8s  99+ 167     20 284 -40S 227 184 239
25 Dec  4  4 27 14.4 D     552SB7  2.9  2.9s  99+ 167     17 287  41S 145 103 158
25 Dec  4  4 51 23.9 r     552SB7  2.9  2.9s  99+ 167     14 291 -13S 200 159 212

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