Astronomers, obviously, are the most enthralled lot. Spectrometers are rechecked for accuracy, mirrors are polished and the wait is on. The observations to be made: the dynamics and physical characteristics of the solar corona; the effect of the eclipse on the earth's atmosphere; changes in the behaviouralpattern of animals and birds; and many more.

``Though voluminous data is available from the past eclipses, the temperature, structure and turbulence of the solar corona are yet to be totally understood,'' Prof P Devadas, member of the British Astronomical Association, Astronomical Society of India and Planetary Society of the USA, told The Indian Express.

Solar corona and the brilliant red chromosphere around the sun, are visible only at the time of total solar eclipse, when the moon obscures the brighter photosphere of the sun. The corona changes its shape and size with the varied activity of the sun. When the sun is extremely active, the corona will be a near circle around, and when the sun is dormant, the corona extends towards the equator and shrinks at the poles. At this time, the sun is gaining activity.

A team of Indian scientists led by the Indian Astronomical Society will study the eclipse from Iran, where the conditions are expected to be most favourable. They will use a high resolutionmulti-flip spectroscopy and take narrow band photometry of the corona using a Charge Coupled Device.This time, astronomers will be looking for ``cooler pockets'' in the solar corona.