Lunar occultation
The Moon moves in front of a planet or star and hides it. The biodynamic calendar counts the time in which this happens anywhere on Earth as unfavourable for sowing and planting.
What is a lunar occultation?
In a lunar occultation the Moon passes in front of a planet or star and hides it. The astronomical term is occultation. The planet disappears at the edge of the Moon and reappears at the opposite edge.
Because the Moon is close to the Earth, whether it hits the planet depends on where you stand. The occultation can only be seen in a strip of the Earth. Elsewhere the Moon passes just beside it.
Occultations come in series. If a planet lies close to the Moon’s orbit, the Moon hits it several months in a row, in 2027 for example Jupiter from February to May.
Lunar occultation in the biodynamic calendar
Dyyna records an occultation as an unfavourable window for sowing and planting. It runs from the first to the last moment at which the Moon hides the planet anywhere on Earth. So the window applies everywhere alike, even where the occultation itself cannot be seen. Worldwide this lasts from under one hour to just under five hours, depending on the position of the orbit.
A lunar occultation is an especially close conjunction of Moon and planet.
Occultations of planets 2027
| Date | Planet | Middle | Unfavourable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jan | Mercury | 6:18 | 3:51 – 8:44 |
| 8 Feb | Mercury | 4:55 | 2:40 – 7:10 |
| 20 Feb | Jupiter | 5:56 | 4:50 – 7:03 |
| 6 Mar | Mercury | 7:32 | 6:51 – 8:14 |
| 19 Mar | Jupiter | 10:25 | 8:53 – 11:57 |
| 15 Apr | Jupiter | 16:18 | 14:50 – 17:46 |
| 12 May | Jupiter | 23:52 | 23:27 – 0:17 (13 May) |
| 1 Aug | Mercury | 17:58 | 15:40 – 20:15 |
| 2 Aug | Venus | 7:26 | 5:27 – 9:24 |
| 30 Nov | Venus | 14:36 | 12:54 – 16:18 |
| 28 Dec | Mercury | 17:36 | 15:29 – 19:42 |
| 29 Dec | Mars | 12:52 | 10:39 – 15:04 |
Times for Central Europe (CET, CEST in summer). The “Unfavourable” column shows when the occultation is under way somewhere on Earth.
Sources
- Occultation, Wikipedia
Frequently asked questions about lunar occultation
What is a lunar occultation?
The Moon moves in front of a planet or star and hides it for a while.
Can a lunar occultation be seen from Central Europe?
Only if Central Europe lies in the strip of visibility and the Moon is above the horizon. The table lists all occultations worldwide.
How long does a lunar occultation last?
At any one place up to a good hour. Taken over the whole Earth, in 2027 between just under one and five hours.