ESA astronaut Sara García to narrate the eclipse as social media questions her merit

Sara García to narrate the total eclipse amid praise and scepticism

Molecular biologist and ESA astronaut Sara García will be the one narrating the total solar eclipse on Onda Cero's Noticias Fin de Semana programme. "A total solar eclipse is a fairly intense sensory experience," says the CNIO researcher. But her role has peine an old battleground: the claim that her selection owes more to her media profile than to technical merit.

On social media, one calculation has spread like wildfire: if fewer than 2% of Spanish women are redheads, the odds of a redhead becoming an astronaut would be one in a million. From there it's a short step to concluding she was put there "as an influencer". The more suspicious add a twist: judging by her eyebrows, the colour might not be natural. "Bottle-redhead, dark brunette," they quip.

The criticism also extends to the profession itself. "The great thing about being an astronaut is you don't actually have to do the job; just being one is enough," one section of the audience jokes. Others point out she won't be alone: Pablo, the other Spanish astronaut, won't be flying to space for now either and will simply wave along.

The furore shows no sign of dying down. The eclipse broadcast will at least show whether the star of the show is up to the gig. The baffling detail: both Spanish astronauts are from León, where, apparently, an "astronaut vocational training programme" is taught — something some claim with tongue in cheek.