516-837-3459With the solar eclipse right around the corner, there has been a lot of preparation all around the country. People are discussing the best places to view the eclipse, what kind of glasses need to be worn, and what lenses need to be placed on telescopes because this years eclipse is a special one. This years eclipse is a total solar eclipse. That means that the dark silhouette of the Moon completely obscures the intensely bright light of the Sun, allowing the much fainter solar corona to be visible. This is the first time since the 1970’s that parts of the U.S. will be able to view a total solar eclipse. So, it got us wondering what has changed since the last one?
1970s: President Jimmy Carter installs the first Solar Panels on the White House.
2017: President Donald Trump withdraws the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and makes budget cuts for the State Energy Program.
1970s: The first mobile phone call was made by Martin Cooper who invented the cell phone.
(“Dr. Martin Cooper” by Rico Sheen is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)
2017: Samsung releases their S8 and S8+ which include water resistance and a full edge screen.
(“Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus” by DoerNoc is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
1970s: Energy crisis causes panic over oil supply and long lines at gas stations.
2017: Tesla releases the Model S car that is all-electric.
1970s: Nickelodeon launches as the first ever television network focused on children.
2017: Nickelodeon is still one of the top networks targeted towards children.
(The Nickelodeon logo is under trademark and copyright by Viacom International Inc.)
1970s: Sony releases the Walkman worldwide.
(“Original Sony Walkman TPS-L2 from 1979” by Dave L. Jones is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
2017: Spotify music player lets people listen to music on different mobile devices.
1970s: First extraterrestrial volcano is discovered on Io (one of Jupiter’s moons).
2017: Cassini-Huygens makes it into Saturn’s orbit, making it the first spacecraft to make it into orbit.
1970s: Willie Mays is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
2017: Jeff Bagwell is inducted into the Hall of Fame.
(“Jeff Bagwell 2009” by Mojo is licensed under CC BY 2.0)
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1970s: The path of the total solar eclipse of 1979.
2017: The projected path of the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017.
From music to technology to politics, a lot has changed and evolved since the 1970s. Gadgets have gotten smaller, movie graphics have gotten better, and our ability to watch the solar eclipse has expanded thanks to all the advancements we have seen over the years. So, grab special glasses, a blanket, and a buddy and make sure to watch this years solar eclipse on August 21st!
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About the Author
EmPower Solar develops, engineers, installs, and services solar and battery systems for residential and commercial clients. Since 2003, EmPower Solar has empowered thousands of New York homeowners and businesses with 47 megawatts of distributed solar. Its vision is to create a new energy paradigm powered by clean, renewable energy for a more prosperous, healthy, and civil world. The company culture is defined by the EmPowering Way, which results in consistent 5-star customer service reviews. For more information visit empower-solar.com.