Once in a generation eclipse wows millions in UK – Did it? Did it really?

More media hype about a non-event?

Having witnessed the last solar eclipse in 1999, I thought my memory was playing tricks on me when the media made such a song and dance about what was expected with this partial solar eclipse.

From my recollection, the last eclipse in 1999 when I was 42, it was a cloudy day in Yorkshire, and only in the far west was it a total eclipse. It was then rather a non-event – albeit it did go a little dark, the temperature dropped slightly and the birds went quiet, but that was it, and that was a total eclipse. All over in a matter of minutes.

For some reason I thought that perhaps I was mistaken when the UK Media was making out that this partial eclipse was going to be “A not to be missed event of a generation.” Especially as the next one is not until 2090, when most of us will be in a different place.

But how wrong could I have been, and the more cynical on social media have been quick to point out the obvious? “Was that it?”

However, that was it, and again the public have been conned into believing that we were expecting something special. Yep. That was it. Rather, a non-event, unless you were in Spain.

The world now appears to be full of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” events reported in the media. (Google it if you don’t know what I mean, but that possibly says something about the current generation.)

So, if you were wowed, I hope you enjoyed it, but if, like me and many more, it looks like just another day in this year’s summer that is finally hotter than 1976. Something my generation can remember, and the current hottest days have taken sixty years to beat. Ah, global warming, or is it???

Just joking, or am I….