Crowd formation

Hype likely leads to the formation of crowds. In any case, reporting on the solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 focused much more on the social phenomenon than on the astronomical event. A lot of people gathered for and many cheered and applauded the show in the sky; quite a few people interviewed provided accounts of their awesome experiences.

The astronomical event is not much more remarkable than the daily descent of the Sun below the horizon, although it offers the greatest rewards to the scientists. Astronomers can use eclipses to study certain solar phenomena which become apparent when most of the light of the Sun is blocked from our view.

The last big event in America when reporters spoke excitedly about seeing stars was the 96th Academy Awards ceremony on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood. Another big event providing star gazers plenty to talk about will occur on Sunday, February 9, 2025: Super Bowl LIX. By then, and for that matter in a few days beyond April 8, 2024, most people will have forgotten about the cosmos.