Solar eclipse in Asia

The sun emerges behind the moon just after the total solar eclipse on North Iwo Jima island, Japan Photograph: Kyodo/Reuters

Thousands of Hindus pray and bathe along the banks of the river Ganges as they wait for a total solar eclipse in the Indian city of Varanasi Photograph: Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images

A total solar eclipse is seen from an aircraft over Patna, India Photograph: Shreya Sahai/AP

A man offers prayers in the waters of river Gomti during the start of the eclipse in the northern Indian city of Lucknow Photograph: Pawan Kumar/Reuters

People take holy dips in the river Ganges at the start of the eclipse in Varanasi Photograph: Saurabh Das/AP

A girl is half-buried at the bank of river Indus following her physician's advice to stay in sand during the solar eclipse as he believes its rays have healing qualities Photograph: Nadeem Khawer/EPA

The sun emerges after the total eclipse seen in Varanasi, India Photograph: Saurabh Das/AP

Sadhus, or Hindu holy men, watch the solar eclipse through specially-designed viewing glasses in Allahabad, India Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

A statue of a trumpeter is silhouetted against a partial solar eclipse in Taipei, Taiwan Photograph: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

Hindu devotees take holy dips in the Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, during the solar eclipse in Allahabad, India Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

A total solar eclipse is seen in Varanasi, India Photograph: Saurabh Das/AP

Dissapointed Western tourists sit in the rain ahead of the eclipse as seen from Jiaxing, China. The full eclipse was not visible due to stormclouds Photograph: Dan Chung

The sky goes dark over the statue of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong in Wuhan, China Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Locals attempt to rescue a devotee from the Ganges during the solar eclipse in Varanasi. Two people were killed when thousands of people gathered at the banks of the river Photograph: Harish Tyagi/EPA

The sky goes dark over Chongqing, China, as the lunar shadow or "umbra" moves over the city during a solar eclipse. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images