Deric wrote:
I enjoy your daily photos very much, and I like to think I learn something from you every day -- but today's effort was disappointing. Why use 'eclipse' (which is not happening) when you really mean 'occult'? You guys know the difference, but many of us don't. Teaching your readers the proper terms is a good goal, but giving them the wrong one in the headline (even if you correct it in the text) is a mistake. The first commenter was evidently confused.
Accuracy, please. Otherwise, you are contributing to the dumbing down of society.
OCCULT, a. [L. occultus, occulo; ob and celo, to conceal.] (Webster 1828)
- Hidden from the eye or understanding; invisible; secret; unknown; undiscovered; undetected; as the occult qualities of matter.
The occult sciences are magic, necromancy, &c.
Occult lines, in geometry, are such as are drawn with the compasses or a pencil, and are scarcely visible.
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ECLIPSE, n. [L. eclipsis; Gr. defect, to fail, to leave.] (Webster 1828)
- 1. Literally, a defect or failure;
hence in astronomy, an interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon or other luminous body.
2. Darkness; obscuration. We say, his glory has suffered an eclipse.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occultations,_transits,_and_eclipses#Occultations.2C_transits.2C_and_eclipses wrote:
<<An occultation occurs when an apparently larger body passes the next planet in front of an apparently smaller one. A transit occurs when a smaller body passes in front of a larger one. In the combined case where the smaller body regularly transits the larger object, an occultation is also termed a secondary eclipse.
An eclipse occurs when a body disappears or partially disappears from view, either by an occultation, as with a solar eclipse, or by passing into the shadow of another body, as with a lunar eclipse.>>
[quote="Deric"]
I enjoy your daily photos very much, and I like to think I learn something from you every day -- but today's effort was disappointing. Why use 'eclipse' (which is not happening) when you really mean 'occult'? You guys know the difference, but many of us don't. Teaching your readers the proper terms is a good goal, but giving them the wrong one in the headline (even if you correct it in the text) is a mistake. The first commenter was evidently confused.
Accuracy, please. Otherwise, you are contributing to the dumbing down of society.[/quote]
OCCULT, a. [L. occultus, occulo; ob and celo, to conceal.] (Webster 1828)
[list] Hidden from the eye or understanding; invisible; secret; unknown; undiscovered; undetected; as the occult qualities of matter.
The occult sciences are magic, necromancy, &c.
Occult lines, in geometry, are such as are drawn with the compasses or a pencil, and are scarcely visible.[/list]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECLIPSE, n. [L. eclipsis; Gr. defect, to fail, to leave.] (Webster 1828)
[list] 1. Literally, a defect or failure;
hence in astronomy, an interception or obscuration of the light of the sun, moon or other luminous body.
2. Darkness; obscuration. We say, his glory has suffered an eclipse.[/list]
[quote=" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occultations,_transits,_and_eclipses#Occultations.2C_transits.2C_and_eclipses"]
<<An occultation occurs when an apparently larger body passes the next planet in front of an apparently smaller one. A transit occurs when a smaller body passes in front of a larger one. In the combined case where the smaller body regularly transits the larger object, an occultation is also termed a secondary eclipse.
[b][color=#0000FF]An eclipse occurs when a body disappears or partially disappears from view, either by an occultation, as with a solar eclipse, or by passing into the shadow of another body, as with a lunar eclipse[/color][/b].>>[/quote]