The total solar eclipse of July 22 2009 will be visible across south-east Asia and the western Pacific. This will be a spectacular total eclipse, lasting over 6½ minutes at maximum and visible to millions of people over a path up to 258 km wide.
The total eclipse begins just off the coast of India at 00:51:17 UT on July 22, and ends in Polynesia at 04:19:26 UT on July 22. The maximum eclipse is at 02:35:21 UT on July 22, when the total phase will last a stunning 6 minutes and 39 seconds. The partial eclipse will be visible over south-east Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Pacific between 23:58:19 UT on July 21 and 05:12:25 UT on July 22.
More information on this eclipse may be found at Fred Espenak's site. You can plot the eclipse for yourself using the table of mapping co-ordinates.
Please note that these maps are approximate. Check with reliable sources before making travel plans.
Protect Your Eyes!
Overview
This map shows the path of the total eclipse:
Asia
The total eclipse begins at local dawn, 00:51:17 UT on July 22 in the Arabian Sea, just off the coast of India. The path is already over 200km wide here, and the eclipse will last 3 minutes 30 seconds. It crosses over central India, and passes between Nepal and Bangladesh, clips Bhutan and Myanmar, and then enters China. It crosses right over China to the coast around Hangzhou, at around 01:40 UT. By this time the path width is up to 249km, and the total eclipse lasts 5 minutes 56 seconds on the centreline.
Ryukyu
The path of totality passes through the Ryukyu Islands at around 01:56 UT; the path width is 254 km, and the total eclipse will last 6 minutes 20 seconds on the centreline.
Bonin
The Bonin Islands are the next to see the eclipse at around 02:28 UT, just before the maximum eclipse. The path width is 258 km, and the total eclipse lasts 6 minutes and 39 seconds on the centreline.
Polynesia
The total eclipse passes through the islands and atolls of Polynesia from around 03:32 UT to the end of the eclipse at 04:16 UT. As it passes Kwajalein at about 03:40 UT, the path width is down to 252 km, but the total eclipse still lasts 5 minutes and 24 seconds on the centreline.
