>.gif ">Total Solar Eclipse 2009: July 21 - Western Hemisphere; July 22 - Eastern Hemisphere")
The final countdown is here for the most awaited Total Solar Eclipse 2009, the longest solar eclipse our generation will experience until 2032. In the Western Hemisphere, the eclipse will occur on July 21. In the Eastern Hemisphere, it will be on July 22. This solar eclipse will occur once on Earth, but the difference in the dates account for the International Date Line. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth so that the Sun is totally or partially covered.