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