In the special year of IYA 2009, on Wednesday 22 July 2009, a total eclipse of the Sun is visible from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. A partial eclipse is seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes most of eastern Asia, Indonesia, and the Pacific Ocean.
With the maximum duration of 6 min 39 s, it is the longest solar eclipse in the 21st century. Since the weather conditions in this region on July 22 are very hard to forecast, the Chinese Astronomical Society, the host of IYA 2009 in China, is organising a large scale live broadcast program for the eclipse event.
Click here to watch the eclipse live!
For Ireland, First Contact is 01.24 am and the totality is at 02.37 am on the morning of 22 July.