The Indian Taj Solar Eclipse

An Astronomy Picture of the Day

From the photographer: “The partial solar eclipse of 22nd October 2022 above the Taj Mahal in India (a World Heritage site). The moment of maximum obsuration as seen from The City of The Taj Mahal.

Looks like the celestial conjunction is trying to imitate the shape of the edifice, the dome of the Taj Mahal, Agra. This shot was made from a location about 4 kilometres away, from top of the water tank in line with the Taj Mahal and the Solar Eclipse.

This eclipse does remind me another solar eclipse the path of which crossed India. The Total Solar Eclipse of 24 October 1995. The similarity of the two eclipses is that the date coincided with the festival of Diwali. The festival of Diwali always falls on the new moon in October or November, which is the condition for solar eclipses as well.”