The total eclipse and the usual grumblers
For those of us dedicated to astronomy, this has been a very special summer. The solar eclipse has put us in the spotlight like never before. Rarely does it happen that the object of our work becomes a social phenomenon of this magnitude. It has been a golden opportunity to explain the movements of the stars in the sky, the cosmic coincidence that makes total solar eclipses possible, the demonstration of the predictions of general relativity, or what solar prominences are. A sociological experiment was even conducted on how watching an eclipse affects us.
The media and the authorities poured their efforts into explaining what would happen on August 12th and giving advice on what to do and what not to do. The effort is very welcome. But, of course, when it comes to an eclipse, not everything was bright: there were also some shadows. The normal insistence on using glasses to observe the partial phase of the eclipse was interpreted by some as if the Sun's rays were especially harmful that day, and it generated a strange psychosis. It all went to the point that the Official College of Opticians and Optometrists of Catalonia, showing an excess of zeal or ignorance, advised not to take off the glasses even during the totality phase! If anyone followed this suggestion, they surely missed the most impressive part of the show.
Has there been too much fuss about the eclipse? I don't think so. In our country, it has been a unique event. The media, helped by the fact that August is a slow month for news, have carried out an unprecedented deployment and coverage. To some grumblers, the time and space dedicated for a week to talk about it, and incidentally to talk about science, seemed excessive. Most likely, these same people, on the other hand, say nothing when every single day dozens of newspaper pages and hours of radio and television are dedicated to stirring the pot with sports (= football). The grumblers who think that a few photos on social media or a video played on a mobile phone do justice to the experience of living a total eclipse in situ are quite wrong. I don't know anyone who wasn't moved and struck, including those who were dragged reluctantly by friends or family to travel to the path of totality.
Therefore, those who have not experienced totality would do well to refrain from giving their opinion. They will never have it as within reach as this time, but next year they can travel a thousand kilometers and experience a total solar eclipse. Then yes: let them say what they think.