On Wednesday, 2009 July 22, a total eclipse of the Sun is visible from within a narrow corridor that traverses half of Earth. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in India and crosses through Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. After leaving mainland Asia, the path crosses Japan's Ryukyu Islands and curves southeast through the Pacific Ocean where the maximum duration of totality reaches 6 min 39 s. 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.
The moon/sun will be located between the constellations of Cancer and Gemini. Nearest to the eclipse will be Mercury, about 9 degrees to the East and shining at a magnitude of -1. The nearest bright star will be Procyon (Magnitude 0.5) 16 degrees to the south. Nine degrees to the WNW will be Pollux (M 1.2) followed by Castor (M 1.6) another four and half degrees further along the same path. Over 40 degrees to the West of the Sun will be Venus shining brightly with a Magnitude of -4. Saturn will be 49 degrees to the East of the Sun at about Magnitude 1.
Observers along the beginning of the eclipse path will not see Saturn. Observers near the end of the eclipse path will not see Venus as it will have already set before the sun and moon.
