An Indian man uses protective goggles to

, where sixth-century Indian astronomer-mathematician Aryabhatta is said to have camped to carry out his studies on celestial bodies. The longest solar eclipse of the 21st century cast a shadow over much of Asia on Wednesday, plunging hundreds of millions into darkness across the giant land masses of India and China. Ancient superstition and modern commerce came together in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which could end up being the most watched eclipse in history, due to its path over Earth’s most densely inhabited areas.