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| Paper: |
What the American Astronomical Society Learned from the “Great American Eclipse” |
| Volume: |
516, Celebrating the 2017 Great American Eclipse: Lessons Learned from the Path of Totality |
| Page: |
391 |
| Authors: |
Fienberg, R. T. |
| Abstract: |
The American Astronomical Society formed the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force to function as a think tank, coordinating body, and communication gateway to the vast resources available about the 21 August 2017 “Great American Eclipse.” The task force secured funding that was used mainly for three purposes: (1) to build a website that contained basic information about solar eclipses, safe viewing practices, and eclipse imaging and video, along with resources for educators and the media; (2) to solicit, receive, evaluate, and fund proposals for mini-grants to support eclipse-related education and public outreach to under-represented groups; and (3) to organize a series of multidisciplinary workshops to prepare communities for the eclipse and to facilitate collaboration between astronomers, meteorologists, school administrators, and transportation and emergency-management professionals. Our safety messaging won the endorsement of several medical societies. In the weeks immediately preceding the eclipse, the marketplace was flooded by counterfeit eclipse glasses and solar viewers, forcing a last-minute change in our communication strategy. Here we review the task force's activities, take stock of what went right and what went wrong, and consider how to better prepare the public for future solar eclipses. |
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