July 22, 2009
The Moon reaches its "new" phase at 9:53 p.m. CDT. When new, the Moon crosses the imaginary line between Earth and Sun. Many societies have viewed new moon as a time of rebirth or renewal. Beginning today a total solar eclipse is visible across parts of Asia and the Pacific. A solar eclipse is defined as a dramatic celestial phenomenon in which light from the Sun is blocked from the Earth by the Moon. In order for this to occur, the Earth, Moon, and Sun must be in a line in that order, which means that the phase of the Moon must be new. More »(source:stardate.org)
Here is animation showing how the solar eclipse will look from Hong Kong. The solar eclipse of July 22, 2009 will be the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting at most 6 minutes, 39 seconds:
