How Distant Stars Let Us See the Solar System Up Close

The video explores the concept of occultations, where one celestial body passes in front of another, blocking its light. It highlights historical discoveries, such as Uranus's rings, made possible through occultations. The video also discusses how lunar occultations have been used to map the Moon's geography and how asteroid occultations help determine asteroid shapes. Despite advancements in technology, occultations remain a valuable tool for astronomers to study celestial objects and phenomena.

Explain how observing an asteroid's shadow can help determine its shape.

What challenges do astronomers face when trying to observe occultations?