This paper reports the results obtained from a study of the changes inaerosol spectral optical depths and size distribution during the total solareclipse of 24 October 1997.These results were obtained from the measurementsof ground reaching multispectral direct solar flux in the visible andnear IR wavelengths using a Multi-Wavelength Solar Radiometer(MWR).During the maximum phase of the solar eclipse an increase in the aerosoloptical depths has been observed at different wavelengths.The aerosol sizedistribution became modified into a monomodal distribution during theeclipse phase as compared to a regular bi-modal distribution.The observedchanges are attributed to the changes in the surface meteorology due to thereduction in temperature and increase in humidity during the eclipse period.