Solar eclipse viewed through the lens eye in Patna

 Partial solar eclipse which was viewed through the lens eye in Patna on October 25, 2022.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui 

Thousands view rare celestial spectacle

Thousands of skygazers thronged the Sri Krishna Science Centre in Patna on January 15, 2010 to watch the annular solar eclipse, a rare celestial spectacle. People also flocked to open spaces and climbed roof-tops of their buildings and apartments to view the eclipse.

A partial solar eclipse was witnessed at many places in Bihar, where the sky was slightly cloudy and foggy. The partial phase began at 12.07 pm and ended at 3.29 pm.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui

Millenium's longest annular solar eclipse

Like the other parts of India, Patna witnessed a rare celestial spectacle, the millenium's longest annular solar eclipse on January 15, 2010.

The photographs show different phases of annular solar eclipse in Patna sky.

Photo: Nagendra K Singh

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar watches the rare celestial spectacle

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Suhsil Kumar Modi and tourists watch the total solar eclipse at Taregna (about 35 km from Patna ) on July 22, 2009.

Speaking on the occasion, Bihar Chief Minister said that all three places (Taregna, Bihta and Khagaul) linked to the ancient India's gratest astronomer Aryabhatta would be developed as tourist hub and also into centres of study.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui

A life-time achievement

Clouds and rains prove a dampener

More than a thousand years after astronomer Aryabhatta set up a camp in Taregna to study the movement of stars, the same village on July 22, 2009 (Wednesday) witnessed the total solar eclipse, the longest in the 21st century.

Taregna, about 30 kms south of Bihar capital Patna, has been adjudged the best place to view the celestial phenomena by the NASA.

Clouds, however, played a nearly spoilsport to view the rare celestial spectacle for the thousands who gathered at rooftops, parks of Taregna to watch this century’s longest total solar eclipse.
The small town Taregna hosted about two lakh scientists, researchers and astro-tourists from across the globe to witness the eclipse.

The duration of the total eclipse in Taregna was about 3 minutes 48 seconds. Total eclipse was an important day for scientists for studying atmospheric ionization, geomagnetism, asteroids, animals and avian behavioural changes as well as impact on micro-organisms during, before and after the eclipse.

It is believed that ancient India’s great astronomer Aryabhata set up a camp in Taregna to watch the celestial bodies. The first Indian satellite, launched on April 19, 1975, from erstwhile SovietUnion, was named after the great astronomer.

Photographs taken by Aftab Alam Siddiqui show how Patnaites and those who gathered in Taregna from acorss the world enjoyed the period of longest ever solar eclipse of this century.

Rare Celestial Spectacle

Patna witnessed a prolonged viw of the total solar eclipse, the longest in the 21st century on July 22, 2009.

Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui