Teilverdeckung

Teilverdeckung is a general term used in German to describe partial covering or partial obscuration of an object, surface, or phenomenon. It denotes that only a portion of the subject is concealed, shaded, or blocked by another body or medium. The word derives from Teil (part) and Verdeckung (covering, concealment) and is used across multiple disciplines to express partial, not complete, coverage.

In astronomy, Teilverdeckung refers to a partial obscuration of the solar disk or a celestial body. For example, during a partial solar eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun's disk, and observers speak of the Teilverdeckung or partial coverage with a quantified fraction (e.g., 40 percent). This is distinct from a total eclipse where the disk is fully covered.

In remote sensing, meteorology, and photography, Teilverdeckung can describe partial cloud cover, shadowing, or occlusion of a target. When clouds or other obstructions only block some of the light reaching a sensor or appear as a partial shadow, the resulting data or image exhibits Teilverdeckung.

Quantification is common: the portion of the affected area is expressed as a percentage or fraction of the disk or surface. The term remains descriptive rather than a formal, domain-specific technical term, and its precise interpretation depends on context.

If applicable in optics or data analysis, Teilverdeckung helps describe partial visibility or cover of a signal, texture, or scene. See also partial eclipse, occlusion, cloud cover, and disc coverage.