Astronomy
Using Stellar Occultations to Probe Outer Solar System Bodies
Quick fact
The occultation of a star by Pluto in 1988 revealed that Pluto has a tenuous atmosphere, surprising scientists who thought it might be an airless ice ball.
Why this is interesting
Imagine trying to measure a city's shape from miles away using its silhouette against the sun. Now replace the sun with a distant star and the city with a tiny world billions of kilometers away.