Astronomers knew that on March 10, 1977, Uranus would pass directly in front of a star. This event is called an occultation. It would only be visible from the Indian Ocean and the areas nearby. As the star was eclipsed by Uranus, there would be changes in the starlight. These changes would help astronomers learn about the composition of Uranus's atmosphere. Astronomers in Africa, India, Australia, and China observed the event. To their surprise, they noticed that the star "winked." It grew dimmer and lighter several times just before it went behind Uranus. As the star appeared on the other side of Uranus, it again winked several
