Neelam & Ajay’s Astrophotographs – Night Sky Photography by Ajay Talwar

India at Night
Family Observing
Portraits under Stars
TWAN Style
Night Landscapes
Plane Window Astrophotography
Milky Way
Northern Lights
Aurora Borealis
Star Trails
City Nightscapes
Panorama
Deep Sky
Constellations
Asterisms
Conjunctions
Planets
Moon
Meteors
False Dawn
Zodiacal Light
All Sky
Little Planet
Celestial Alignments
Delhi
Ladakh
Himalayas
Observatories
Sydney
New York
San Francisco
Washington
Dubai
Stockholm
Copenhagen
Eclipses

San Francisco Sky Lines

Mumbai Lines The pride of Mumbai,Bandra Worli Sea Link!

Qutub Minar Star Trails Clicked through Delhi’s smog

Qutub Minar Star Trails Clicked through Delhi's smog

Qutub Tree Startrails last night through Delhi’s smog.

Qutub Tree Startrails last night through Delhi's smog.

Polar Trails over Collesseum, Rome

Aurora and a meteorite crater, Canada Here is an image shot over the Reindeer Lake and Deep Bay Meteorite Crater on 31 December 2018. The image was shot flying 33,000 feet over Saskatchewan Manitoba border. Deep Bay, located at the south end of Reindeer lake and measuring about 13 km wide and 220 m deep, is the site of a large meteorite impact dating about 140 million years ago. According to local legend, it is also the location of a monster which pulls animals through the ice in winter.

Aurora and a meteorite crater, CanadaHere is an image shot over the Reindeer Lake and Deep Bay Meteorite Crater on 31 December 2018. The image was shot flying 33,000 feet over Saskatchewan Manitoba border.Deep Bay, located at the south end of Reindeer lake and measuring about 13 km wide and 220 m deep, is the site of a large meteorite impact dating about 140 million years ago. According to local legend, it is also the location of a monster which pulls animals through the ice in winter.

24 years of astrophotos.

Three Planets and Milky Way panorama, shot from Surkanda Devi Temple Peak in the Uttarakhand Himalaya. In this panorama Venus is just rising on the horizon, Jupiter is the brightest and Saturn in the middle of these two.

Three Planets and Milky Way panorama, shot from Surkanda Devi Temple Peak in the Uttarakhand Himalaya.In this panorama Venus is just rising on the horizon, Jupiter is the brightest and Saturn in the middle of these two.

Walking down the Surkanda Peak, on the Holi Full Moon night. Orion in the sky. Huawei P30 phone shot.

From the vantage point of Surkhanda Devi in Saklana Range, foothills of the Himalaya, looking towards south (heading ~200°) you can see the area of Jolly Grant and Doiwala. In this image Dehradun lies towards the right, just outside of the frame, though you can see the shining lights from the capital. Beyond the lights of Doiwala and Jolly Grant (middle of the image) you can see the darkish Shivalik Range. Follow the Shivalik towards the left, and where the hills end, the Ganga flows southwards, that’s Haridwar. Lights from the towns of Roorkee and Saharanpur can be seen beyond.

From the vantage point of Surkhanda Devi in Saklana Range, foothills of the Himalaya, looking towards south (heading ~200°) you can see the area of Jolly Grant and Doiwala. In this image Dehradun lies towards the right, just outside of the frame, though you can see the shining lights from the capital. Beyond the lights of Doiwala and Jolly Grant (middle of the image) you can see the darkish Shivalik Range. Follow the Shivalik towards the left, and where the hills end, the Ganga flows southwards, that's Haridwar. Lights from the towns of Roorkee and Saharanpur can be seen beyond.

Saragthal Polar Trails, lower transit of the Pole Star

Naini Tal at night. (Imaged on 1 June 2019)

Manhattan Moonrise

The Arena in front of the Rang Mahal, Red Fort, Delhi. The night sky hosts a gibbous Moon with a colourful halo because of the clouds, as well as Jupiter nearby and Saturn a little further to the left. A few stars of Sagittarius are also visible among the monsoon clouds.

The Arena in front of the Rang Mahal, Red Fort, Delhi. The night sky hosts a gibbous Moon with a colourful halo because of the clouds, as well as Jupiter nearby and Saturn a little further to the left. A few stars of Sagittarius are also visible among the monsoon clouds.

The Diwan-i-Am, or Hall of Audience, is a room in the Red Fort of Delhi where the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1656) and his successors received members of the general public and heard their grievances.

The Diwan-i-Am, or Hall of Audience, is a room in the Red Fort of Delhi where the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1628-1656) and his successors received members of the general public and heard their grievances.

Khas Mahal, Red Fort, Delhi. So many fantastic details to see, admire and inspire yourself. This mahal is really ‘Khas’. In the night-sky there’s Moon, Jupiter and Antares in this image clicked on 9th August 2019.

Khas Mahal, Red Fort, Delhi.So many fantastic details to see, admire and inspire yourself. This mahal is really 'Khas'. In the night-sky there's Moon, Jupiter and Antares in this image clicked on 9th August 2019.

Northern Constellations in the Nordic city of Stockholm

Altair of Aquila Constellation on the left, Saturn, shy behind the pine tree, Jupiter shining bright riding on the Dark Horse of the Milky Way (top right) This image was shot in the small hours of 7 April 2019 from Ranikhet Golf Course. Standing at the Himalayan dark location of Ranikhet Golf, with no lights in the vicinity, a summer moonless night, we can trace the path of the Milky Way across the entire heavens, as a wide glowing band, from the Perseus-Cassiopeia region, through the bright star clouds of Cygnus, and then southwards through Aquila and Scutum, to the culminating splendour of the Sagittarius cloud above the southern horizon. We can follow the course of the “Great Rift” which divides the Milky Way into two parallel streams all the way. The Rift, of course, is nothing more than the dark band of dust clouds, not illuminated by any star. From the Earth we are looking at our own Galaxy – up close.

Altair of Aquila Constellation on the left, Saturn, shy behind the pine tree, Jupiter shining bright riding on the Dark Horse of the Milky Way (top right)This image was shot in the small hours of 7 April 2019 from Ranikhet Golf Course.Standing at the Himalayan dark location of Ranikhet Golf, with no lights in the vicinity, a summer moonless night, we can trace the path of the Milky Way across the entire heavens, as a wide glowing band, from the Perseus-Cassiopeia region, through the bright star clouds of Cygnus, and then southwards through Aquila and Scutum, to the culminating splendour of the Sagittarius cloud above the southern horizon. We can follow the course of the "Great Rift" which divides the Milky Way into two parallel streams all the way. The Rift, of course, is nothing more than the dark band of dust clouds, not illuminated by any star.From the Earth we are looking at our own Galaxy - up close.

Stockholm is at a latitude of about 60°N. When you look northwards in the night sky, the pole star is very high up, two-thirds to the zenith. There is a lot of space between the pole star and the horizon below. Coming from the tropics, this seems a little out of place. Here are some polar star trails looking northwards from the vantage point of Skinnarviksberget. There is a small hillock, high standing rock at this location. You can look till far beyond the Riddarfjärden. You can see the tall tower of the Stockholm Town Hall, and the typical pastel coloured copper painted buildings.

Stockholm is at a latitude of about 60°N. When you look northwards in the night sky, the pole star is very high up, two-thirds to the zenith. There is a lot of space between the pole star and the horizon below. Coming from the tropics, this seems a little out of place. Here are some polar star trails looking northwards from the vantage point of Skinnarviksberget. There is a small hillock, high standing rock at this location. You can look till far beyond the Riddarfjärden. You can see the tall tower of the Stockholm Town Hall, and the typical pastel coloured copper painted buildings.

Grand Hotel and National Museum, Stockholm, as seen from Gamla Stan.

Captivating Star Trails captured over Stockholm SkyDome, from the Old Town Square of Stortorget. Nothing to do with the famous syndrome from this capital city. Legwork by Neelam & deskwork by Aja

Astro-Photos from all the Septembers! The middle of September has been traditionally the start of the clear season in north India. I have had many a productive astrophotography trips in September. Some with my family, like the one to Hatu in 2014. We had camped on top of Hatu peak for three nights continuously. Another 4 night trip to the same location of Hatu earlier in 2009 was also extremely productive. The trip was with Pankaj Sharma. I remember a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in September 2016. There was also a trip to the Astronomy Island of La Palma in September 2015 for the Total Lunar Eclipse from the location of World’s largest single mirror telescope – Gran Telescopio Canarias. Recently in September 2018 there was an exceptionally productive Sky Photo Trip – Astrophotography Workshop to Leh. Memories from September in a mosaic.

Astro-Photos from all the Septembers! The middle of September has been traditionally the start of the clear season in north India. I have had many a productive astrophotography trips in September. Some with my family, like the one to Hatu in 2014. We had camped on top of Hatu peak for three nights continuously. Another 4 night trip to the same location of Hatu earlier in 2009 was also extremely productive. The trip was with Pankaj Sharma. I remember a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse in September 2016. There was also a trip to the Astronomy Island of La Palma in September 2015 for the Total Lunar Eclipse from the location of World's largest single mirror telescope - Gran Telescopio Canarias. Recently in September 2018 there was an exceptionally productive Sky Photo Trip - Astrophotography Workshop to Leh. Memories from September in a mosaic.

Balconies on the Bay This is a 45 minute duration star trail clicked from a balcony overlooking the San Francisco Bay near the airport. The direction of the star trail of north-east and you can see trails of Auriga, Taurus, Lynx and Ursa Major. Trails of Pleiades can be seen on the top right corner. Lots of planes crisscrossing the area constantly.

Balconies on the Bay This is a 45 minute duration star trail clicked from a balcony overlooking the San Francisco Bay near the airport. The direction of the star trail of north-east and you can see trails of Auriga, Taurus, Lynx and Ursa Major. Trails of Pleiades can be seen on the top right corner. Lots of planes crisscrossing the area constantly.

San Francisco Skyline at night 102 minutes of startrails towards the north. The location of imaging is near the SFO airport, and none of the 1000 photos is without an aeroplane, in fact some of the images have a dozen planes recorded. Many images have two planes taking off or landing simultaneously. All the planes have been removed from the individual frames to show the skyline of San Francisco clearly.

San Francisco Skyline at night 102 minutes of startrails towards the north. The location of imaging is near the SFO airport, and none of the 1000 photos is without an aeroplane, in fact some of the images have a dozen planes recorded. Many images have two planes taking off or landing simultaneously. All the planes have been removed from the individual frames to show the skyline of San Francisco clearly.

Hyades and a tree on the San Francisco Bay, Anza area.

Conjunction of Venus & Mercury This image is made from Lick Observatory on the evening of 24 October, when the planets were little less than 6° apart. Below you can see the lights of silicon valley city of San Jose, California.

Conjunction of Venus & Mercury This image is made from Lick Observatory on the evening of 24 October, when the planets were little less than 6° apart. Below you can see the lights of silicon valley city of San Jose, California.

Lick Observatory Star Trails You can see the main building with 36″ Refractor Dome (near), 40″ Reflector (far) and on the right 120″ Shane Telescope.

Nickel Telescope Dome, Lick Observatory. The 40 inch reflector is also known as ‘spare parts telescope’

Nickel Telescope Dome, Lick Observatory. The 40 inch reflector is also known as 'spare parts telescope'

Mount Hamilton, Home of Lick Observatory (Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California) In this image you can see the Crocker dome (left), which seems to be currently empty inside, and on the right is the newest telescope on the peak, the Automated Planet Finder, commissioned in 2012 to find planets around stars.

Mount Hamilton, Home of Lick Observatory (Diablo Range just east of San Jose, California) In this image you can see the Crocker dome (left), which seems to be currently empty inside, and on the right is the newest telescope on the peak, the Automated Planet Finder, commissioned in 2012 to find planets around stars.

Tyska Kyrkan, German Church spire – If you visit Stockholm, you are bound to see the German Church or at least its spire, which dominates the Gamla Stan skyline. The brick steeple and the copper covered spire, together 96 metres tall (1878), designed by a Berliner – Julius Carl Raschdorff. For the commission he chose Neogothic gargoyles featuring grotesque animals, indeed unusual in Swedish architectural history but today recognized as ‘natural features’ of the old town.

A clear night at Stockholm. Amazing to see so many stars captured within the city!

The Skeppsholmen Church is a former church on the islet of Skeppsholmen. Since May 2009, the building has been a concert hall called Eric Ericsonhallen. It was named after the Swedish conductor and choral conductor Eric Ericson. The trail of Arcturus is prominent in the sky.

The Skeppsholmen Church is a former church on the islet of Skeppsholmen. Since May 2009, the building has been a concert hall called Eric Ericsonhallen. It was named after the Swedish conductor and choral conductor Eric Ericson. The trail of Arcturus is prominent in the sky.

Stockholm palace Royal Guards

Stockholm Evening From the era when travel was possible 🙂 February 2020, it was quite cold this evening here, and the restaurants had lit small fires on their doorsteps to welcome people. Seems that it is an old custom in Sweden.

Stockholm Evening From the era when travel was possible 🙂 February 2020, it was quite cold this evening here, and the restaurants had lit small fires on their doorsteps to welcome people. Seems that it is an old custom in Sweden.

Riddarholmen Church, Stockholm, First Quarter Moon and clear blue sky

Karl XIV Johans statue, near Stockholm Palace

Stockholm – In the front is the outer courtyard of the Stockholm Palace, the parade ground. and behind you can see the Storkyrkan or The Great Church, officially named Sankt Nikolai kyrka (Church of St. Nicholas) and informally called Stockholms domkyrka (Stockholm Cathedral), is the oldest church in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Intrestingly, the church also contains a copy of the oldest known landscape image of Stockholm, the painting Vädersolstavlan – The Sun Dog Painting, called Vädersolstavlan, Swedish for ‘The Sun Painting’ depicts a Sun halo display, an atmospheric optical phenomenon, observed over Stockholm on 20 April 1535. It is the oldest depiction of Stockholm and the oldest depiction of 22° halo and sun dogs, with accurate relative brightnesses. Behind the church you can see the bright star trails of Orion constellation, towards the southern direction.

Stockholm - In the front is the outer courtyard of the Stockholm Palace, the parade ground. and behind you can see the Storkyrkan or The Great Church, officially named Sankt Nikolai kyrka (Church of St. Nicholas) and informally called Stockholms domkyrka (Stockholm Cathedral), is the oldest church in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. Intrestingly, the church also contains a copy of the oldest known landscape image of Stockholm, the painting Vädersolstavlan - The Sun Dog Painting, called Vädersolstavlan, Swedish for 'The Sun Painting' depicts a Sun halo display, an atmospheric optical phenomenon, observed over Stockholm on 20 April 1535. It is the oldest depiction of Stockholm and the oldest depiction of 22° halo and sun dogs, with accurate relative brightnesses. Behind the church you can see the bright star trails of Orion constellation, towards the southern direction.

Stortorget Panorama Little Planet

Stortorget Panorama Little Sky

Oldest square in Stockholm – Stortorget, Trails of Square of Pegasus. This was the clear night that we got at Stockholm, one clear night out of three, that we were there. The temperatures are low, at the time of this photo, 6 pm in the evening, the temperature was -2° C. You can bear the low temperature for some time, but since star trail photography is boring, the camera is working on its own, and you just have to stand and wait around doing nothing, and it is a long wait, 60-90 minutes just for one star trail. Soon the temperatures start to trouble you. Neelam’s fingers were getting numb, even inside the gloves. My toes started paining and legs got extremely cold after some time. Luckily the hotel room was close by, we went back to the room for half an hour to get warmed up and went out again. We could do this three times, and then at 11pm it got unbearable, and we returned for the night.

Oldest square in Stockholm - Stortorget, Trails of Square of Pegasus. This was the clear night that we got at Stockholm, one clear night out of three, that we were there. The temperatures are low, at the time of this photo, 6 pm in the evening, the temperature was -2° C. You can bear the low temperature for some time, but since star trail photography is boring, the camera is working on its own, and you just have to stand and wait around doing nothing, and it is a long wait, 60-90 minutes just for one star trail. Soon the temperatures start to trouble you. Neelam's fingers were getting numb, even inside the gloves. My toes started paining and legs got extremely cold after some time. Luckily the hotel room was close by, we went back to the room for half an hour to get warmed up and went out again. We could do this three times, and then at 11pm it got unbearable, and we returned for the night.

Streets of Gamla Stan, Stockholm The narrow, winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in different colors, give Gamla Stan its unique character. The streets of Gamla Stan may be packed with tourists but they are equally packed with history and lined with extraordinarily beautiful buildings, it’s remarkable that it has survived to the modern day in such a well preserved condition. Neelam and Me spend a couple of cold February nights, roaming the cobbled streets with no one around, looking at the fantastic architecture with pastel colours and leading lines of this small island. And of course with both of us carrying our tripods and camera, and shooting trails at every juncture and opportunity.

Streets of Gamla Stan, Stockholm The narrow, winding cobblestone streets, with their buildings in different colors, give Gamla Stan its unique character. The streets of Gamla Stan may be packed with tourists but they are equally packed with history and lined with extraordinarily beautiful buildings, it’s remarkable that it has survived to the modern day in such a well preserved condition. Neelam and Me spend a couple of cold February nights, roaming the cobbled streets with no one around, looking at the fantastic architecture with pastel colours and leading lines of this small island. And of course with both of us carrying our tripods and camera, and shooting trails at every juncture and opportunity.

Svenska Akademien (Noble Prize Museum – Stockholm) Polar Trails

The Sagar School Observatory, colourful star trails of the Winter Hexagon.

Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center & Stars of Summer Triangle in the morning sky of Copenhagen. The church is one of the oldest churches in the city, yet it does not function as a church anymore. Outside, you will see a sign saying ‘I’m not a church’ while the inside is full of created art and performance.

Nikolaj, Copenhagen Contemporary Art Center & Stars of Summer Triangle in the morning sky of Copenhagen. The church is one of the oldest churches in the city, yet it does not function as a church anymore. Outside, you will see a sign saying 'I'm not a church' while the inside is full of created art and performance.

Typical Scandinavian colourfull building facades. The northern side is lined by brightly coloured townhouses built with wood, bricks, and plaster. The oldest house, at No. 9, dates from 1681. Old ships line the Canal. Nyhavn (New Harbour) is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. The canal harbours many historical wooden ships. There was no one on the streets at the time me and Neelam visited Nyhavn at the early morning blue hour. It was a cold February winter morning. Vega and the asterism of Summer Triangle were visible nicely rising from the east. This image was made on 22 February 2020.

Typical Scandinavian colourfull building facades. The northern side is lined by brightly coloured townhouses built with wood, bricks, and plaster. The oldest house, at No. 9, dates from 1681. Old ships line the Canal. Nyhavn (New Harbour) is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is lined by brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants. The canal harbours many historical wooden ships. There was no one on the streets at the time me and Neelam visited Nyhavn at the early morning blue hour. It was a cold February winter morning. Vega and the asterism of Summer Triangle were visible nicely rising from the east. This image was made on 22 February 2020.

Hesperus meets Krittika Today’s (3rd March 2020) sky event, Venus was traversing the cluster Seven Sisters also known as Krittika, and I was ready to photograph the pair, in the clear ‘lockdown’ sky..

Hesperus meets Krittika Today's (3rd March 2020) sky event, Venus was traversing the cluster Seven Sisters also known as Krittika, and I was ready to photograph the pair, in the clear 'lockdown' sky..

Lockdown brought back pristine clear night sky to Gurgaon

Immersive startrails from home terrace during lockdown clear sky.

Trails of three planets Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and other stars. Shot during the clear sky of lockdown at Gurgaon. Normally not many strs are seen here, but during the lockdown when all activity had stopped, the sky returned to its pristine clarity.

Trails of three planets Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and other stars. Shot during the clear sky of lockdown at Gurgaon. Normally not many strs are seen here, but during the lockdown when all activity had stopped, the sky returned to its pristine clarity.

Little Planet Gurgaon

Clear Lock Down Sky full of stars even from Gurugram.

Three Planets and Our Little Planet Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and Moon were close together in the sky early today morning (16 April 2020), towards the south-east.

The lockdown gave us steady and transparent skies. This is an unimaginable panorama starry from Gurgaon, the park in front of my house, which is normally bright and devoid of stars, but during lockdown was filled with stars.

The lockdown gave us steady and transparent skies. This is an unimaginable panorama starry from Gurgaon, the park in front of my house, which is normally bright and devoid of stars, but during lockdown was filled with stars.

The lockdown gave us steady and transparent skies. This is an unimaginable panorama starry from Gurgaon, the park in front of my house, which is normally bright and devoid of stars, but during lockdown was filled with stars.

Anatomy of the Zodiacal Light September Equinox is the best time to see the Zodiacal Light just before dawn, appropriately named as “False Dawn” Zodiacal Light looks like a hazy pyramid. It appears in the sky just before true dawn lights the sky. The zodiacal light is most visible before dawn in autumn because autumn is when the ecliptic stands nearly perpendicular to the horizon before dawn. This image was clicked on 21 September 2020. You’d say that – in this image the Zodiacal Light is not at all perpendicular to the horizon, that’s because this image was shot from a plane window, when it was flying at a northerly route from Delhi to Washington at Latitude 51° North and Longitude 51° East, over Kazakhstan. More you go towards the north, more the zodiacal light gets tilted, but on the September Equinox, this the best tilt possible get at any latitude before dawn. The darker your sky, the better your chances of seeing it, but it is always quite dark outside the plane window at night, if you are above clouds. People used to think zodiacal light originated somehow from phenomena in Earth’s upper atmosphere, but today we understand it as sunlight reflecting off dust grains that circle the Sun in the inner solar system. The zodiacal light is a solar system phenomenon. In this image you can see the bright triangular light in the zodiac constellations of Leo and Cancer. Venus shines brightly on the ecliptic.

Anatomy of the Zodiacal Light September Equinox is the best time to see the Zodiacal Light just before dawn, appropriately named as "False Dawn" Zodiacal Light looks like a hazy pyramid. It appears in the sky just before true dawn lights the sky. The zodiacal light is most visible before dawn in autumn because autumn is when the ecliptic stands nearly perpendicular to the horizon before dawn. This image was clicked on 21 September 2020. You'd say that - in this image the Zodiacal Light is not at all perpendicular to the horizon, that's because this image was shot from a plane window, when it was flying at a northerly route from Delhi to Washington at Latitude 51° North and Longitude 51° East, over Kazakhstan. More you go towards the north, more the zodiacal light gets tilted, but on the September Equinox, this the best tilt possible get at any latitude before dawn. The darker your sky, the better your chances of seeing it, but it is always quite dark outside the plane window at night, if you are above clouds. People used to think zodiacal light originated somehow from phenomena in Earth’s upper atmosphere, but today we understand it as sunlight reflecting off dust grains that circle the Sun in the inner solar system. The zodiacal light is a solar system phenomenon. In this image you can see the bright triangular light in the zodiac constellations of Leo and Cancer. Venus shines brightly on the ecliptic.

Many a nights I saw Pleiades rising, Glitter like a swarm of fireflies, Tangled in a silver braid.

Orionids Meteor Shower captured from Naukuchiya Taal, in the foothills of the Himalayas (21 October 2020).

Lake Meteor 22 October 2020 at about midnight. This is Naukuchiya Taal.

Naukuchiya Taal Looking northwards at night {Polar Star Trails}

On 7th November 2020 Neelam and me were flying from New York to Delhi. Usually the plane flies eastwards on a northerly route, this time with the maximum latutude was about ~60°. We tried for a left side window seat so that I could point my camera towards the north, We were lucky to get a left side window seat. The night comes quickly flying in the eastwards direction. About one-third into the flight I raised the window there was a spectacular bright shimmering curtain outside the window. Ursa Major was engulfed in the green aurora curtain. I setup my camera on the window, the shooting went on for little more than 2 hours. The aurora increased and decreased in brightness many times during this time. I did not see it at that time, but a very bright Leonid meteor got recorded in the sequence. The smoke from the burnt meteor was visible in the image sequence for as long as 16 minutes.

On 7th November 2020 Neelam and me were flying from New York to Delhi. Usually the plane flies eastwards on a northerly route, this time with the maximum latutude was about ~60°. We tried for a left side window seat so that I could point my camera towards the north, We were lucky to get a left side window seat.The night comes quickly flying in the eastwards direction. About one-third into the flight I raised the window there was a spectacular bright shimmering curtain outside the window. Ursa Major was engulfed in the green aurora curtain.I setup my camera on the window, the shooting went on for little more than 2 hours. The aurora increased and decreased in brightness many times during this time. I did not see it at that time, but a very bright Leonid meteor got recorded in the sequence. The smoke from the burnt meteor was visible in the image sequence for as long as 16 minutes.

One People – One Sky but divided by the brightly lit line! Bahawal Nagar on the right and Ganga Nagar on the left.

One People - One Sky but divided by the brightly lit line! Bahawal Nagar on the right and Ganga Nagar on the left.

Sirius on Norway What a fascinating scene. Moonlight showers down, through the Winter Hexagon. Procyon on the left, the reddish Betelgeuse of Orion, Aldebaran of Taurus (Oculus Tauri, or bulls eye) along with the Seven Sisters. Sirius the bright, on the horizon in the haze, the brightest one! and below through the clouds you can see the northernmost coast of Norway. All seen from the left side window of a Boeing 777, going from Delhi to New York, 6th November 2020.

Sirius on Norway What a fascinating scene. Moonlight showers down, through the Winter Hexagon. Procyon on the left, the reddish Betelgeuse of Orion, Aldebaran of Taurus (Oculus Tauri, or bulls eye) along with the Seven Sisters. Sirius the bright, on the horizon in the haze, the brightest one! and below through the clouds you can see the northernmost coast of Norway. All seen from the left side window of a Boeing 777, going from Delhi to New York, 6th November 2020.

Dawn over Lac Fleur-de-May, Dawn is the best time to see Venus, Mercury, Dawn is the best time to see Meteors, Dawn is also the best time to see plenty of satellites in the sky, Wonderful serene colours at dawn over Icy Newfoundland, Canada. Mercury and Spica can be seen near the horizon, below the meteor. A 777 aircraft over 52.0856 North, 65.2559 West, flying heading 205°, from Delhi to JFK.

Dawn over Lac Fleur-de-May, Dawn is the best time to see Venus, Mercury, Dawn is the best time to see Meteors, Dawn is also the best time to see plenty of satellites in the sky, Wonderful serene colours at dawn over Icy Newfoundland, Canada. Mercury and Spica can be seen near the horizon, below the meteor.A 777 aircraft over 52.0856 North, 65.2559 West, flying heading 205°, from Delhi to JFK.

Colours of our Atmosphere You can see three prominent colours in this image, viz. White, Blue and Green. The white is coming from the clouds formed in our atmosphere, which in this case happen to be below the plane. The clouds formed by the condensed water vapour, are highly reflective and reflect Sunlight and are white. Wait, in this image it is not the sunlight, but moonlight! Doesn’t matter, its still sunlight reflecting from the Moon. The blue colour is again coming from our atmosphere. It looks blue because of the phenomena of Raleigh Scattering. Particles in atmosphere scatter sunlight in all directions. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time. The source of light is moonlight. Oh! again its the sunlight. The green colour is coming from the aurora & air-glow activity in the atmosphere. Air-Glow is caused by collisions between fast-moving particles (electrons) from space and the oxygen and nitrogen gas in our atmosphere. These electrons originate in the magnetosphere, the region of space controlled by Earth’s magnetic field. As they rain into the atmosphere, the electrons impart energy to oxygen and nitrogen molecules, making them excited. When the molecules return to their normal state, they release photons, small bursts of energy in the form of light. The color of the aurora depends on which gas is being excited by the electrons. Oxygen usually emits a greenish-yellow light. This image was shot from a plane window flying from Delhi to New York on 6th November 2020. At the time of this image the plane was over Greenland. There’s Venus shining brightly near the horizon. The constellations of Coma, Virgo, Leo, Hydra and others can be seen in the image.

Colours of our Atmosphere You can see three prominent colours in this image, viz. White, Blue and Green. The white is coming from the clouds formed in our atmosphere, which in this case happen to be below the plane. The clouds formed by the condensed water vapour, are highly reflective and reflect Sunlight and are white. Wait, in this image it is not the sunlight, but moonlight! Doesn't matter, its still sunlight reflecting from the Moon. The blue colour is again coming from our atmosphere. It looks blue because of the phenomena of Raleigh Scattering. Particles in atmosphere scatter sunlight in all directions. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time. The source of light is moonlight. Oh! again its the sunlight. The green colour is coming from the aurora & air-glow activity in the atmosphere. Air-Glow is caused by collisions between fast-moving particles (electrons) from space and the oxygen and nitrogen gas in our atmosphere. These electrons originate in the magnetosphere, the region of space controlled by Earth’s magnetic field. As they rain into the atmosphere, the electrons impart energy to oxygen and nitrogen molecules, making them excited. When the molecules return to their normal state, they release photons, small bursts of energy in the form of light. The color of the aurora depends on which gas is being excited by the electrons. Oxygen usually emits a greenish-yellow light. This image was shot from a plane window flying from Delhi to New York on 6th November 2020. At the time of this image the plane was over Greenland. There's Venus shining brightly near the horizon. The constellations of Coma, Virgo, Leo, Hydra and others can be seen in the image.

AURORA & GLORY This image has been shot from the left side window of the plane flying from San Francisco to Bengaluru, February 2021. The flight path was a northerly one, with the maximum latitude about 80° north. At the time of this image the plane was flying over northern parts of Canada. The direction of travel was almost northwards, so this view is almost westward. What can you see in the image? The most prominent is the bright green Aurora spread in this wide angle image. Then your eye probably will wander towards Krittika, a.k.a. Seven Sisters and the Oculus Tauri – a.k.a. Aldebaran and the cluster of Hyades, the famous V shape of the Taurus the bull. You can see the large engine of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft, as well as the flare from the port side wing lights is flashing in the image. On the ground, which is completely shrouded in clouds, but you can see the light from a small airport in the sparsely populated northern part of Canada. At the time of this photo the Moon was in the sky, behind on the other side of the plane. The horizon is bluish because of the moonlight But what you are probably thinking as a mark on the plane window, that bright circle, in the lower right part of the image, is in fact a ‘Glory’. A ‘Glory’ is a circular rainbow caused by sunlight or moonlight and the ice crystals in the clouds. A Glory is always opposite the Moon/Sun. Look carefully and you can see a black shadow leading to the centre of the Glory, that’s the shadow of the contrail of the plane.

AURORA & GLORY This image has been shot from the left side window of the plane flying from San Francisco to Bengaluru, February 2021. The flight path was a northerly one, with the maximum latitude about 80° north. At the time of this image the plane was flying over northern parts of Canada. The direction of travel was almost northwards, so this view is almost westward. What can you see in the image? The most prominent is the bright green Aurora spread in this wide angle image. Then your eye probably will wander towards Krittika, a.k.a. Seven Sisters and the Oculus Tauri - a.k.a. Aldebaran and the cluster of Hyades, the famous V shape of the Taurus the bull. You can see the large engine of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft, as well as the flare from the port side wing lights is flashing in the image. On the ground, which is completely shrouded in clouds, but you can see the light from a small airport in the sparsely populated northern part of Canada. At the time of this photo the Moon was in the sky, behind on the other side of the plane. The horizon is bluish because of the moonlight But what you are probably thinking as a mark on the plane window, that bright circle, in the lower right part of the image, is in fact a 'Glory'. A 'Glory' is a circular rainbow caused by sunlight or moonlight and the ice crystals in the clouds. A Glory is always opposite the Moon/Sun. Look carefully and you can see a black shadow leading to the centre of the Glory, that's the shadow of the contrail of the plane.

VIEW FROM THE TOP Recently Neelam operated flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru. Its a killer flight for the cabin crew. You take off in the western hemisphere in the mid latitudes and two dates later you land in the eastern hemisphere in the tropics. OH! Where did the middle day evaporate? And when you land, you don’t know where you are. It was actually the hometown for Neelam. This image was shot at a latitude just shy of 80°N. The 777-200 aircraft, was flying over north-eastern part of Greenland, and about to cross the Prime-Meridian of the Earth, towards the eastern hemisphere. The heading/direction of the plane 81°, that’s about eastern direction. The plane was at the northernmost place of its entire routing at this time, and the image is shot looking northwards from the left side window of the plane. Its morning twilight time over the icy still rivers of Greenland, and just a little morning blush. But what is prominent in this image – is the SHADOW OF THE EARTH at a rising angle, just before sunrise. Got the Geometry / Geography?

VIEW FROM THE TOPRecently Neelam operated flight from San Francisco to Bengaluru. Its a killer flight for the cabin crew. You take off in the western hemisphere in the mid latitudes and two dates later you land in the eastern hemisphere in the tropics. OH! Where did the middle day evaporate? And when you land, you don't know where you are. It was actually the hometown for Neelam.This image was shot at a latitude just shy of 80°N. The 777-200 aircraft, was flying over north-eastern part of Greenland, and about to cross the Prime-Meridian of the Earth, towards the eastern hemisphere. The heading/direction of the plane 81°, that's about eastern direction.The plane was at the northernmost place of its entire routing at this time, and the image is shot looking northwards from the left side window of the plane. Its morning twilight time over the icy still rivers of Greenland, and just a little morning blush.But what is prominent in this image - is the SHADOW OF THE EARTH at a rising angle, just before sunrise.Got the Geometry / Geography?

A Tutulemma, This is one of the two ‘Tutulemma’ ever made. A tutulemma is an analemma which contains a solar eclipse. This year-long image features the Solstice Annular Eclipse of 21 June 2020.

A Tutulemma, This is one of the two 'Tutulemma' ever made. A tutulemma is an analemma which contains a solar eclipse. This year-long image features the Solstice Annular Eclipse of 21 June 2020.

A ‘Little Planet’ panorama shot at the Bugyal near Devasthal Peak. The location is inside the Devasthal Optical Observatory campus, near the guest house.

A 'Little Planet' panorama shot at the Bugyal near Devasthal Peak. The location is inside the Devasthal Optical Observatory campus, near the guest house.

‘The Rock’ This panorama has been shot at the small peak at Sargakhet. Seven component shot with a fisheye lens have been combined in the style of ‘Little Planet’.

'The Rock' This panorama has been shot at the small peak at Sargakhet. Seven component shot with a fisheye lens have been combined in the style of 'Little Planet'.

‘The Rock’ This panorama has been shot at the small peak at Sargakhet. Seven component shot with a fisheye lens have been combined in the style of ‘Little Planet’ but reversed. Instead of circular earth, a circular sky is presented in this panorama.

'The Rock' This panorama has been shot at the small peak at Sargakhet. Seven component shot with a fisheye lens have been combined in the style of 'Little Planet' but reversed. Instead of circular earth, a circular sky is presented in this panorama.

Polar star trails from the location of Sargakhet (Krishna Orchard Resort). There is a charming small peak behind the resort, with 360° horizon visibility. Trishul massif and many peaks of Nepal Himalayas are visible from this location towards the eastern direction.

Polar star trails from the location of Sargakhet (Krishna Orchard Resort). There is a charming small peak behind the resort, with 360° horizon visibility. Trishul massif and many peaks of Nepal Himalayas are visible from this location towards the eastern direction.

Polar star trails from the location of Sargakhet (Krishna Orchard Resort). There is a charming small peak behind the resort, with 360° horizon visibility. You can set your telescope and mount and shoot the sky for several days.

Polar star trails from the location of Sargakhet (Krishna Orchard Resort). There is a charming small peak behind the resort, with 360° horizon visibility. You can set your telescope and mount and shoot the sky for several days.

SEA TO STARS MOSAIC The San Francisco, 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project is an amazing community-led project in San Francisco. Friends and neighbors got together to cover the 163 steps at 16th and Moraga with a beautifully colorful tile mosaic. And as if this isnt amazing enough, just wait until the sun goes down! The mirror-like tiles reflect the moonlight during the night, but the steps become even more spectacular when it catches the rising or setting suns beams. The project took over a year and a half to complete and included the help of over 300 neighbors. KZ Tile, a major SF tile-setting company, kindly agreed to help set the tiles in place and over 220 neighbors sponsored the creation of handmade animal, bird and fish name tiles. The end result is pretty amazing,

SEA TO STARS MOSAICThe San Francisco, 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project is an amazing community-led project in San Francisco. Friends and neighbors got together to cover the 163 steps at 16th and Moraga with a beautifully colorful tile mosaic. And as if this isnt amazing enough, just wait until the sun goes down!The mirror-like tiles reflect the moonlight during the night, but the steps become even more spectacular when it catches the rising or setting suns beams. The project took over a year and a half to complete and included the help of over 300 neighbors. KZ Tile, a major SF tile-setting company, kindly agreed to help set the tiles in place and over 220 neighbors sponsored the creation of handmade animal, bird and fish name tiles. The end result is pretty amazing,

Mars ventured behind the Moon on 17th April 2021 as seen from India. The immersion of Mars was in daytime (in India) and the emersion was in the evening twilight. The sky became clear because of a previous shower. You can see Mars emerging from behind the Moon.

Mars ventured behind the Moon on 17th April 2021 as seen from India. The immersion of Mars was in daytime (in India) and the emersion was in the evening twilight. The sky became clear because of a previous shower. You can see Mars emerging from behind the Moon.

Simple Star Trails from San Francisco. Legwork by Neelam & deskwork by me. Neelam was recently on San Francisco flight duty and on the layover shot these star trails over the San Francisco Bay.

A starry path along the San Francisco Bay, Anza area.

SEA TO STARS MOSAIC The San Francisco, 16th Avenue Tiled Steps Project is an amazing community-led project in San Francisco. Friends and neighbors got together to cover the 163 steps at 16th and Moraga with a beautifully colorful tile mosaic. And as if this isnt amazing enough, just wait until the sun goes down! The mirror-like tiles reflect the moonlight during the night, but the steps become even more spectacular when it catches the rising or setting suns beams. The project took over a year and a half to complete and included the help of over 300 neighbors. KZ Tile, a major SF tile-setting company, kindly agreed to help set the tiles in place and over 220 neighbors sponsored the creation of handmade animal, bird and fish name tiles. The end result is pretty amazing,

River in the Sky – Akashganga River on Earth – Indus

River in the Sky - AkashgangaRiver on Earth - Indus

On the Earth you can see two great rivers meet. This is a standard photo from any Leh trip, Sangam of Chilling Chu (Zanskar River) and Indus River near Nimmu. They say that Chilling Chu provides more water to the confluence. In the evening twilight sky, you can see the brightest planet Venus (on the right) and the brightest dwarf planet Ceres, which can be seen inside the Sickle asterism of Leo (circled). The image was shot on 12 June 2018.

On the Earth you can see two great rivers meet. This is a standard photo from any Leh trip, Sangam of Chilling Chu (Zanskar River) and Indus River near Nimmu. They say that Chilling Chu provides more water to the confluence.In the evening twilight sky, you can see the brightest planet Venus (on the right) and the brightest dwarf planet Ceres, which can be seen inside the Sickle asterism of Leo (circled).The image was shot on 12 June 2018.

Two planets headed for Opposition, Saturn on 27 June, and Mars on 27 July. The two planets can be seen in this image shot at Hanle, Ladakh. Saturn is just above the structure and bright red Mars on the left side of the image. The ‘structure’ is a large 21 metre telescope under construction – MACE, Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment Telescope. The image was clicked just before midnight of 11 June 2018.

Two planets headed for Opposition, Saturn on 27 June, and Mars on 27 July. The two planets can be seen in this image shot at Hanle, Ladakh. Saturn is just above the structure and bright red Mars on the left side of the image.The 'structure' is a large 21 metre telescope under construction - MACE, Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment Telescope.The image was clicked just before midnight of 11 June 2018.

Transparent Dome of the GROWTH-India Telescope, Hanle, Ladakh.

Thiksey Monastery polar star trails. Leh

Thiksey Monastry in Moonlight. Ladakh.

Thiksey Monastry in Moonlight.Ladakh.

The Evening Star at Arabian Dusk! A vista which is familiar all over the world, downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa. Legwork by Neelam and desk work by Ajay

The Evening Star at Arabian Dusk!A vista which is familiar all over the world, downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa.Legwork by Neelam and desk work by Ajay

Streets of Manhattan, trail of Mars and other stars. Legwork by Neelam, and deskwork by Ajay.

Streets of Manhattan, trail of Mars and other stars.Legwork by Neelam, and deskwork by Ajay.

A facade which is famous and well know all over the world, Burj Khalifa, Dubai along with a few star trails. Clicked by Neelam & Edited by Ajay.

A facade which is famous and well know all over the world, Burj Khalifa, Dubai along with a few star trails.Clicked by Neelam & Edited by Ajay.

A facade which is famous and well know all over the world, Burj Khalifa, Dubai along with a few star trails. Clicked by Neelam & Edited by Ajay.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco – one of the most photographed bridge in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco - one of the most photographed bridge in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco – one of the most photographed bridge in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco - one of the most photographed bridge in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco – one of the most photographed bridge in the world.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco - one of the most photographed bridge in the world.

Celestial Alignment in Delhi India Gate Rashtrapati Bhavan – Sunset

Celestial Alignment in DelhiIndia Gate Rashtrapati Bhavan - Sunset

San Francisco Bay Watch Two iconic bridges of SFO visible in thie star trail image, shot from the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco Bay WatchTwo iconic bridges of SFO visible in thie star trail image, shot from the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge.

From the Templeton Academy Gymnasium you can glimpse the beautiful Naukuchiya Tal and the road going around the lake. In the sky you can see the star trails of Sirius and Canopus (1st and 2nd brightest stars in the sky) nesteled among the tree branches. Lake DIstrict, Nainital

From the Templeton Academy Gymnasium you can glimpse the beautiful Naukuchiya Tal and the road going around the lake.In the sky you can see the star trails of Sirius and Canopus (1st and 2nd brightest stars in the sky) nesteled among the tree branches.Lake DIstrict, Nainital

The path to Stars

Mumbai Lines The pride of Mumbai, Bandra Worli Sea Link!

Mumbai Lines The pride of Mumbai,Bandra Worli Sea Link!

Astrophotography Walk at the India Gate, conducted on 4th November 2017, in the Delhi Walk Festival. Participants line up in front of the Canopy along with India Gate as well as the Moon.

Astrophotography Walk at the India Gate, conducted on 4th November 2017, in the Delhi Walk Festival.Participants line up in front of the Canopy along with India Gate as well as the Moon.

Astrophotography Walk at the India Gate, conducted on 4th November 2017, in the Delhi Walk Festival. Moon lined up in front of the Canopy along with India Gate.

Astrophotography Walk at the India Gate, conducted on 4th November 2017, in the Delhi Walk Festival.Moon lined up in front of the Canopy along with India Gate.

New York City Night Lights and Star Trails. Neelam spent a couple of hours on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building at a couple of degrees (in centigrade) and made a few star trails. She’s back home in Delhi in plenty of centigrades. Legwork by Neelam & Deskwork by Ajay.

New York City Night Lights and Star Trails.Neelam spent a couple of hours on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building at a couple of degrees (in centigrade) and made a few star trails. She's back home in Delhi in plenty of centigrades.Legwork by Neelam & Deskwork by Ajay.

New York City Night Lights and Star Trails. Big Dipper Neelam spent a couple of hours on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building at a couple of degrees (in centigrade) and made a few star trails. She’s back home in Delhi in plenty of centigrades. Legwork by Neelam & Deskwork by Ajay.

New York City Night Lights and Star Trails. Big Dipper Neelam spent a couple of hours on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building at a couple of degrees (in centigrade) and made a few star trails. She’s back home in Delhi in plenty of centigrades. Legwork by Neelam & Deskwork by Ajay.

New York City Night Lights and Star Trails. Big Dipper Neelam spent a couple of hours on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building at a couple of degrees (in centigrade) and made a few star trails. She’s back home in Delhi in plenty of centigrades. Legwork by Neelam & Deskwork by Ajay.

New York City Night Lights and Star Trails. Neelam spent a couple of hours on the 86th floor of the Empire State Building at a couple of degrees (in centigrade) and made a few star trails. She’s back home in Delhi in plenty of centigrades. Legwork by Neelam & Deskwork by Ajay.

Sydney Ferry & Star Trails, as seen at night from the Sydney Tower

The Hangar Orion Opera, Sydney (legwork by Neelam & deskwork by Ajay)

The Hangar Orion Opera Trail of Stars, Sydney (legwork by Neelam & deskwork by Ajay)

Neelam went to Sydney, climbed the highest tower and brought back the Moon!

Geminids Meteor Shower 13 December 2017 Shot at Sargakhet, Mukteshwar Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Geminids Meteor Shower 13 December 2017Shot at Sargakhet, Mukteshwar Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Geminids Meteor Shower 13 December 2017 Shot at Sargakhet, Mukteshwar Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Geminids Meteor Shower 13 December 2017Shot at Sargakhet, Mukteshwar Uttarakhand Himalaya.

Churches of København, (Copenhagen) Denmark Legwork by Neelam & deskwork by Ajay

Churches of København, (Copenhagen) DenmarkLegwork by Neelam & deskwork by Ajay

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018, Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018,Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Moonrise on Trishul Peak, Photographed from Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018, Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018,Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018, Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018,Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018, Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the Himalaya APOD image.

Lunar Eclipse of 31 January 2018,Photographed at Benital, Chamoli, Uttarakhand in the HimalayaAPOD image.

This is the WW-II, World War – II memorial in the National Mall, Washington DC. In the background is the tall obelisk of Washington Monument and in the sky you can see Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, Aries and other constellations. This images is a blend of about 6 images to show the stars more clearly. Legwork by Neelam and deskwork by Ajay

This is the WW-II, World War – II memorial in the National Mall, Washington DC. In the background is the tall obelisk of Washington Monument and in the sky you can see Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Pegasus, Aries and other constellations. This images is a blend of about 6 images to show the stars more clearly. Legwork by Neelam and deskwork by Ajay

San Francisco Night Panorama

Lincoln Memorial and Jupiter Washington DC

MACE under construction Major Atmospheric Cerenkov Experiment Telescope or MACE, is a 21 metre telescope at high altitude being established at Hanle, Ladakh.

MACE Telescope Polar Trails, Hanle, Ladakh Total duration – 8 hours

Natural History Museum Washington DC

Taurus rising at the Capitol, Washington DC Legwork by Neelam, and deskwork by Ajay

Capitol & Belt of Venus I wish I could see the pink at dusk or the Belt of Venus at Delhi! We are living under a ton of muck. There are times when you realise the amount of smog and dust prevalent is when you travel by air, or travel to the hills and look down on the layer of muck. At 4:30 in the evening, 2 hours before sunset you can gaze at he sun without any problem as the sunlight is filtering through a thick dusty envelope. For once I wish I could see the Belt of Venus at Delhi as easily captured in this image of the Capitol. Legwork for this image by Neelam and deskwork by Ajay.

Capitol & Belt of Venus I wish I could see the pink at dusk or the Belt of Venus at Delhi! We are living under a ton of muck. There are times when you realise the amount of smog and dust prevalent is when you travel by air, or travel to the hills and look down on the layer of muck. At 4:30 in the evening, 2 hours before sunset you can gaze at he sun without any problem as the sunlight is filtering through a thick dusty envelope. For once I wish I could see the Belt of Venus at Delhi as easily captured in this image of the Capitol. Legwork for this image by Neelam and deskwork by Ajay.