OpticsPlanet.com Blog

Winter is coming. Will you be prepared?

Most of us, when we consider sunglasses, think of the summer and days on the beach. The summer months are certainly a great time to break out some cool shades and look fabulous, but you shouldn't forget just how important good eyewear is in the winter.

I thought about this today because it is unseasonably warm here in Chicago. Today the temperature was up over 50 degrees! Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to not have to deal with the cold and snow, but I've lived around here my whole life, and I know to not get ahead of myself and start thinking that the whole winter will be as pleasant as today. We've had a couple very slight flurries, with essentially no accumulation yet, but you can feel it coming.

While tomorrow is supposed to be another warm day, a cold front is coming in, and with it some snow. It isn't supposed to be a massive snowfall, but one may be just around the corner.

Having lived with the snow my whole life, and learning to drive (my birthday is in February) during winter months, I can attest to the fact it is really difficult to drive on a bright, sunny day after heavy snowfall. Much like spending the day on a boat where glare from the water can be blinding, bright snow can likewise severely limit your ability to see, so having a quality pair of sunglasses is essential when you're driving in the winter.

Timberland has some fantastic new sunglasses available right now at OpticsPlanet. As Timberland is an outdoor-conscious company, all of their sunglasses are rugged and perfect for driving, playing sports and more. If you're running around a lot your sunglasses are most likely going to take some punishment. The Timberland TB7078 Sport Sunglasses are a great choice. They're made of a tough plastic material that's equally suited to bad weather, sports and driving. The temple arms were designed for a comfortable fit that still holds them securely to your head.

Style-wise, I'm also a big fan of the Timberland TB7053 Sunglasses. They look great, and like all Timberland Sunglasses, you'll have a bit tough pair of sunglasses that give you a better view during the winter.

Since I'm talking about winter eyewear, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention snowboarding and ski goggles. I know a lot of you love to hit the slopes, and you need to protect your eyes. If you're talking snowboarding and skiing, it's natural to mention Bolle, who make some of the recognizable snowboarding goggles, and for good reason. Their goggles are both cool-looking and good for protecting your eyes from the cold and snow. Personally, the Bolle Gravity Goggles are one of my favorites. Take a look at the photo. Clearly, they look good, and they come in a number of different color options, so you can pick the one that best suits your personal aesthetic. Additionally, they're super comfortable and have extra large lenses to give you a wide field-of-view. You won't miss a thing as you shred some fresh powder with the Bolle Gravity Goggles!

Don't neglect your eyewear needs in the winter. It's just as important to reduce glare when driving your car after a snowfall as it is when you're out boating in July. If you have some snow coming, make sure OpticsPlanet is your first stop for winter sunglasses and goggles.

Labels: goggles, skiing, snowboarding, sunglasses

It is official: the Martian invasion has begun! But I don't mean little green men coming to your backyard. We're landing probes and rovers all over the planet.

Various governments and agencies are pushing to learn more about the Red Planet, primarily with satellites and probes for both Mars and some of its moons.

First up we have a report about a failed Russian probe. The Phobos-Grunt probe was to land on Phobos, the larger of Mars' moons, collect some rocks and bring them back to Earth for study. Piggybacking on the probe was China's first Mars satellite, which would use powerful telescopes to take detailed photos of Mars.

Unfortunately, the launch of the Phobos-Grunt damaged some of the communications technology on board, which prevented the Russians from firing the engine that would take it to Mars. As it falls back to Earth, Roscosmos has said that most of the toxic fuel on board will burn up in reentry. Astronomers around the world are modeling the fall to see where it will land, but most likely it'll land safely in the ocean.

Another probe was sent out in November, this time from NASA, and so far everything is going well. The NASA probe will land on Mars and deploy Curiosity, the "world's most advanced scientific laboratory". The rover is about the size of a car, and it can do a lot more than collect samples. There are a whole host of measuring instruments on Curiosity to allow NASA to collect a lot of data without retrieving the probe.

Probably the most advanced tool on the rover is the ChemCam, which will determine the chemical composition of various samples using lasers to breakdown the rocks and see what exactly Mars is made up of. This technique is called Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, or LIBS.

Spectroscopy uses radiated energy to interact with various substances. Based on the reaction we can see what material the substance is made of. We actually have Spectrophotometers that use this very principle, albeit in a non-Martian setting.

Curiosity will start generating data next August, which should prove very exciting for those interested in Mars.

I know a lot of you are fascinated by studies of Mars. The history, possibility of current or one-time Martian life and more make the Red Planet intellectually alluring. Curiosity may answer certain questions, such as if Mars was really once similar to Earth, with an atmosphere like ours, and if so, if there had been life.

As it is relatively close to Earth, Mars is a favorite object for Astronomers to view. Using even a small telescope you should be able to get a good view of the Red Planet. The Bushnell ARES 5 Inch Dobsonian Telescope is a fantastic choice if you're looking to save a little money, want a portable telescope and still demand quality. It comes with two eyepieces, a 10mm SPL10 and a 25mm SPL25, so you'll have some options for how much light and detail you want to see.

I do suggest picking up a few telescope lens filters, as they'll allow you to see greater detail as you view Mars. Orange and red filters are best for seeing detail in the dark surfaces, while green and blue will give you a better look at the poles and clouds. On a clear night you'll want to have a few different filters to get a more complete picture of the planet.

This month Mars will become visible around midnight, although it should become clearer toward dawn. The North Pole will be visible, as will Syrtis Major, which is a dark spot on Mars. This dark spot is a low-relief volcano, so be sure to take a look at it with an orange filter on your telescope.

In March you should be able to get an even better view, as Mars will be at Opposition, its closest point and fully lit by the sun.

Mars is one of the more fun celestial objects to view, and the ease of finding it makes it a favorite for amateur astronomers the world over. Keep an eye out for news come August, and take a look for yourself with a great telescope from OpticsPlanet!

Labels: astronomy, dobsonian telescopes, mars, telescopes