Welcome to the 2nd issue of Celestron's 2010 Newsletter!

The countdown to Celestron's 50th Anniversary is over and now the celebration has begun!  We are excited to share with you a variety of new merchandise made especially for this occasion.

Once you've bought your dream scope browse around to view our new 50th Anniversary hats, t-shirts and travel mugs.  Add to your collection a beautiful Anniversary logo lapel pin or get your hands on one of the limited edition 50th Anniversary FirstScopes.

	New Video Releases
	We are proud to release 3 new videos recorded at CES 2010 that cover the latest additions to Celestron's product lineup.

	Red Planet Rendezvous
	by Rick Fienberg

One of the biggest stories in 21st-century astronomy is the discovery of hundreds of planets around other stars. Thanks to NASA's Kepler planet-hunting satellite, it's only a matter of time (probably less than 3 years) before astronomers find an Earth-like world orbiting a Sun-like star. But you don't have to wait. If you own a telescope, you can look out into space and scrutinize an Earth-like planet every clear evening this season. It's called Mars...
read post »

The Buzz:Celestron 8" EdgeHD by Ed Moreno I sold a C8 a year or two ago and once again went down the 4” APO road as a quick look scope, but I missed the aperture of the C8. Plain and simple, once I got past the appeal of the perfect little stars in a 4” scope, I realized that I was still looking though a small scope. I started looking for another C8 and tried a few, but I was looking for one with as perfect optics as I could find. One 8” SCT in particular was actually a VERY nice sample, but it wasn’t quite as good as I would have liked, and while I KNOW that it is almost impossible to tell a very good 8” SCT from a perfect 8” SCT at the eyepiece, I guess I have just become so anal that I CHOOSE to own as high quality equipment as I can find... read review »

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2010-Newsletter-Issue-2

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar 2010 San Diego Bird Festival 03/04 - 03/07 San Diego, CA City of San Diego is proud to host 2010 Bird Festival held in Marina Village Conference Center in Mission Bay... learn more » NSTA 2010 03/18 - 03/21 Philadelphia, PA Join your colleagues in the City of Brotherly Love for NSTA's 58th National Conference on Science Education. Conference registration and exhibits will be at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Most sessions and events have been scheduled at the Convention Center and the Doubletree Philadelphia Hotel, Loew’s Philadelphia Hotel, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, and Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel... learn more » City of El Segundo Star Party 03/20 El Segundo, CA Come join us for a night under the stars at the City of El Segundo Star Party. The Star Party will be on Saturday, March 20 from 7:30 - 10:30 pm at the Hilltop Park Parking Lot. Volunteers will be setting up their telescopes, or helping set up yours, to share a view of the stars with all who attend... learn more » Saturn Reaches Opposition March 21, 2010 The planet Saturn is at opposition on March 21st 2010. That means Saturn is opposite the sun in Earth’s sky. At opposition, Saturn rises in the east at sunset and sets in the west at sunrise. This is when Saturn comes closest to Earth for all of 2010. As a result, it’s when Saturn shines most brilliantly in our sky ... learn more »   post your own Event on CelestronLife.com »

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Welcome to the 1st issue of Celestron's 2010 Newsletter!

2010 is a very exciting year for us. 50 years ago, in 1960, an electrical engineer Tom Johnson, started Celestron as an astro-optical division of his aerospace electronics firm, Valor Electronics. Since then Celestron has grown to enjoy worldwide brand name recognition and a reputation for innovative and reliable optical equipment.

As part of our 50th Golden Anniversary celebration, we'll be releasing a six part miniseries dedicated to 50 years of amateur astronomy, telescope making and human ingenuity:

	Star Light, Star Bright...
	by Tammy Plotner

One of the most amazing facets of having a knowledge of astronomy and possession of a telescope is its unique ability to draw humankind towards it. Like a campfire on a frosty Fall evening, a candle lit in a powerless room or a story offered to a quiet and hungry mind, there’s an allure to the stars. It may be as simple as reciting a verse of poetry learned as a child, or as complex as an evening’s viewing session, but there are tools within our reach to make a difference in others perceive the Universe around them...
read post »

In The News Celestron EdgeHD, LCD Deluxe Digital Microscope And Handheld LCD Digital Microscope Take Home Honors From Consumer Electronics Association! read news »

New On Celestron.com By popular demand we have added a new section to our website concentrating solely on Astrophotography! « download Booklet | learn more »

Community Outreach with Kevin Kawai

Celestron presents a FirstScope to the Mayor of El Segundo The city of El Segundo (Recreation and Parks) and the South Bay Astronomical Society, co-sponsored and hosted their final local star party of 2009 at Hilltop Park on Saturday, December 19, 2009. El Segundo, located just south of Los Angeles International Airport, is well known for its aerospace companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon - all of which have their facilities in the city... read post »

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2010-Newsletter-Issue-1

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar Mars at opposition January 29, 2010 Two major astronomical events fall within 10 hours of each other tonight. First, the planet Mars – the world most like Earth in our solar system – reaches opposition at 8 p.m. London time tonight. Second, the closest full moon of the year comes tomorrow at 6 a.m. London time – that’s around midnight tonight for us in the central U.S... learn more » 26th Annual Winter Star Party 02/08 - 02/13 Florida Keys Get set for The Winter Star Party! The 26th Annual Winter Star Party is scheduled for February 8 - 13, 2010 on West Summerland Key (a.k.a. "Spanish Harbor Key") in the Florida Keys. Astrophotographers and amateur astronomers often bring their families from across the U.S. and around the globe to make it a truly international event. Southern winter skies are a real treat for our Canadian and northern friends... learn more » post your own Event on CelestronLife.com »

Event Recaps
by Kevin Kawai

	CES 2010 Las Vegas, NV
When the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2010, Celestron reached a new milestone in its storied history by celebrating 50 years of optical and mechanical innovations in telescope manufacturing. What better way of starting off the new year than by "kicking off" the celebration at the largest and most well known gathering of the latest in electronic gadgets and technology breakthroughs - the Consumer Electronics Show (CES)....
« photo GALLERY | read Blog »

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Welcome to the 12th issue of Celestron's 2009 Newsletter!

Over the course of this year we have attended numerous public astronomy events and had the unique privilege to personally meet many of Celestron users in the process. We would like to thank every reader of our newsletter and every fan of Celestron products for your continued support and wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year!

	Enjoying The Celestron Sky - Perseus
	by Steve Coe

Perseus, the Hero, is my kind of constellation. By that I mean that it has lots of different types of deep sky objects to observe. I get tired by having to chase nothing buy galaxies or nothing but open clusters. I need variety and Perseus can provide that, so let's take a look...
read post »

	McGyver's Tips with DarkMatters
DarkMatters is an active contributing member of CelestronLife.com. The latest accessory in the DarkMatters DIY FirstScope line: The Collapsible Dew Shield! read posts »

	Community Outreach with Kevin Kawai
As we were moving towards the Thanksgiving holiday, one event remained on our calendar for the month of November - the Armijo's Family Daycare Star Party. Lead Repair Technician, Hector Antuna, who can often be seen representing Celestron at star party and dealer events throughout the southland, organized this special star party for his 4 year old son, Geovanni and his classmates... read posts »

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2009-Newsletter-Issue-12

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar International CES 2010 January 7-10 Las Vegas, NV With more than four decades of success, the International CES reaches across global markets, connects the industry and enables CE innovations to grow and thrive. Celestron will be exhibiting our latest products at the booth # 7912 in the Central Hall of the LVCC read more » post your own Event on CelestronLife.com »

Event Recaps
by Kevin Kawai

	Sea and Sky Spectacular 2009 Jacksonville, Florida
On November 7th and 8th, the 2009 Sea and Sky Spectacular took place in Jacksonville, Florida off the waters of the picturesque Atlantic Ocean. This much anticipated air show featured the prowess of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels Squadron, as well as numerous military and civilian daredevils of the sky. The Sea and Sky Spectacular represented just one of the many featured events of the "Week of Valor," which paid tribute to the brave men and women in uniform of the entire armed forces....
« photo GALLERY | read Blog entry »

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Welcome to the 11th issue of Celestron's 2009 Newsletter!

We would like to salute everyone who, in celebration of IYA 2009 Galilean Nights, took to the streets all around the globe, to see the wonders that Galileo observed 400 years ago.

As a global sponsor of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, we are proud to be a part of this global celebration both in the US and abroad. We'd like to encourage you to share your stories and photographs of this momentous occasion.

Star Party in Seal Beach California

Event in Munich Germany

Learn More » Post Photos » Submit Story »

	Your Galileo Moment with Jupiter
	by Rick Fienberg

Throughout 2009 stargazers the world over are celebrating the International Year of Astronomy, which marks 400 years since the great Italian scientist Galileo Galilei first turned a telescope to the sky. Galileo's discoveries launched a revolution in our understanding of the cosmos, one that's still going strong four centuries later...
read post »

	McGyver's Tips with DarkMatters
DarkMatters is an active contributing member of CelestronLife.com. This month we'd like to spotlight a couple of his articles on making a solar filter and tripod attachment for FirstScope Telescope... read posts »

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2009-Newsletter-Issue-11

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar IDA Annual Meeting November 14-15 Tucson, AZ The IDA is pleased to announce the AGMs first move out of Tucson, AZ. We've gone 100 miles north to Phoenix. Known as the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix is also home to the USGBC GreenBuild 2009 conference (November 11-13), the largest convention of "green" businesses and products in the world... read more » 2009 T.A.C.O. November 21 Oceanside, CA Don't miss the first annual "Telescopes and Cameras in Oceanside", affectionately known as TACO, on Saturday, November 21st from 10AM until 8PM at Oceanside Photo & Telescope! Celestron representatives will be on-hand with product demos and more. Enjoy special one-day only discounts on all of your favorite (or soon-to-be-favorite) gear... read more »

post your own Star Party on CelestronLife.com »

Event Recaps
by Kevin Kawai

	Toberman House Event October 26 San Pedro, California
Just a few miles south down Interstate 110 from Celestron headquarters in the port city of San Pedro, California, resides the Toberman Neighborhood Center. This multi-purpose, non-profit community center provides various social services to nearly 14,000 inner-city individuals and families in need of assistance...
« photo GALLERY | read Blog entry »

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Welcome to the 10th issue of Celestron's 2009 Newsletter!

We'd like to start this issue off by applauding the White House and President Barack Obama for their support of astronomy and science education.

On Wednesday, October 8, 2009, President Barack Obama and the first lady Michelle Obama hosted what is believed to be the first star party ever to be held at the White House.

« learn more | view video »

	Reporting From 2009 PATS

On September 26th and 27th Celestron had a chance to show off our newest technology at the 2009 Pacific Astronomy and Telescope Show (PATS). Our media team was on hand to capture some interesting interviews with Celestron staff, as well as some other exhibitors...
watch video »

Outdoor Channel's Gear Up and Go! Sweepstakes

It’s October and that can mean only one thing… its time again to GEAR UP AND GO! 

This year’s prize pool is the most valuable ever and includes all kinds of outdoor gear as well as great trips and CASH prizes. Enter ever day for daily prizes such as paintball gear, wall tents, kayaks, telescopes and hiking boots.

Every time you enter to win a daily prize you’ll also earn an entry into each of the three Grand Prize drawings held at the end of the month.

This year’s Grand Prizes include a trip to the Silverton Casino, a Celestron Computerized telescope and trip to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and an ATV plus $5,000 CASH courtesy of Peak Antifreeze.

Visit http://gearupandgo.dja.com/index.html every day in October to enter.

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2009-Newsletter-Issue-9

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar Reto Mexico 2009 October 24 Mexico This event continues the celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, which began in Mexico with a great event called "Night of Stars"... read more » Advanced Imaging Conference October 30 - November 1 San Jose, CA The Advanced Imaging Conference is a non-profit organization operated by a team of astro-photography enthusiasts... read more » Sea & Sky Spectacular November 6-8 Jacksonville, FL Join the City of Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport and City of Jacksonville Beach, City of Neptune Beach and City of Atlantic Beach as the skies and waterways of the First Coast are transformed into the backdrop for the most exciting air acts and military demonstrations in the world! read more » IDA Annual Meeting November 14-15 Tucson, AZ The IDA is pleased to announce the AGMs first move out of Tucson, AZ. We've gone 100 miles north to Phoenix. Known as the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix is also home to the USGBC GreenBuild 2009 conference (November 11-13), the largest convention of "green" businesses and products in the world... read more »

post your own Star Party on CelestronLife.com »

Event Recaps
by Kevin Kawai

	Astronomy at the Beach September 26-26 Michigan, USA
With sand, water, stars and sky, the 13th Annual Astronomy at the Beach took place September 25 and 26, 2009 at Maple Beach, Kensington Metro Park, Milford, MI. Astronomy at the Beach, more commonly known as AATB, is a yearly event hosted by the Kensington Metro Park and the Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs (GLAAC)...
« photo GALLERY | read Blog entry »

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Welcome to the 9th issue of Celestron's 2009 Newsletter!

This month we are proud to introduce Article Spotlight, the new section on Celestron.com.

This section will feature monthly articles by contributing industry professionals to inform, engage and enlighten you on their personal experiences in the astronomical community.

Sponsored by CelestronLife.com, our Article Spotlight allows you to leave comments on the articles and experience our growing community of like-minded individuals on CelestronLife.com..

« learn more | meet contributors | read first article »

	CGE PRO Mount Video

Earlier this year, Celestron unveiled CGE PRO, our ground-breaking new German Equatorial mount. Now, we are happy to announce the release of a documentary-style video, detailing the features of this robust new platform.

In addition to being fully computerized with a database of over 40,000 celestial objects, the New CGE Pro German Equatorial mount has been completely redesigned to offer numerous design advantages for the Astrophotographer...

« visit CGE PRO page   |   watch video »

CONTEST ENDS SEPT 30: WIN A VINTAGE C11

Celestron is proud to have its vintage C11 telescope signed by a previous owner - Leonard Nimoy exhibited at the Franklin Institute as a part of "STAR TREK: THE EXHIBITION"

« learn more about THE EXHIBITION   |   enter to WIN A VINTAGE C11 »

Community Relations Blog
by Kevin Kawai

OUTREACH: Boy Scout Troop 378

Throughout the summer, Boy Scout Troop 378, from Torrance, CA has been meeting weekly at a local community center to learn about astronomy, as part of a program that would assist them to earn their Astronomy Merit Badge. Troop Leader, Steven Yen, as well as volunteers from the South Bay Astronomical Society, conducted classes to teach the Scouts about the night sky, the different types of telescopes in use, the birth, life and death of stars, identifying the constellations and so much more. Steven had contacted me to help assist with a star party for the Scouts, but each time a date was set, the star party was always called off due to the marine layer, which is infamous around the South Bay this time of year. Finally, on Thursday, August 27, 2009, and after many delays, the marine layer withdrew and lifted far enough from land. The Boy Scouts Star Party was back on!

« see photo album   |   read blog entry »

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2009-Newsletter-Issue-9

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar Black Forest Star Party September 18-20 Pennsylvania, USA The Black Forest Star Party is an annual dark-sky amateur astronomy observing event hosted by the Central Pennsylvania Observers (CPO). Held every year since 1999, the BFSP generally spans a weekend in the late summer or early fall in Cherry Springs State Park in Potter County, Pennsylvania. read more » Astronomy at the Beach September 26-26 Michigan, USA Great Lakes Association of Astronomy Clubs (GLAAC) presents their 13th Annual Astronomy at the Beach. Friday & Saturday, September 25th & 26th at Maple Beach, inside Kensington Metropark, from 6 pm - midnight (rain or shine) read more » 2009 PATS September 26-27 California, USA Be part of the most exciting astronomy and telescope show on the West Coast. Browse dozens of manufacturers and dealers of astronomical equipment, software, and accessories, all under one roof. Company representatives and, in some cases, owners will be available to answer your questions... read more »

post your own Star Party on CelestronLife.com »

Event Recaps
by Kevin Kawai

	Starfest Canada 2009 August 20-23rd
Starfest, the 28th annual celebration of astronomy, took place on August 20-23, 2009 at the River Place Park family campground site. Starfest is recognized as one of the top seven star parties in North America by Sky & Telescope magazine and is visibly Canada's largest annual observing convention and star party. Nearly 600 astronomy enthusiasts from Canada and the USA joined in with the festivities...
« photo GALLERY | read Blog entry »

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Welcome to the 8th issue of Celestron's 2009 Newsletter!

Celestron would like to congratulate the winners of the IYA 2009 One Hundred Hours of Astronomy Competition! Celestron is honored to be a part of this phenomenal global event which enabled more than a million people across the world to view through a telescope for the first time. Congratulations to everyone around the world who organized and participated in the events in your community and helped make 100 Hours of Astronomy a success.

Awards, which include Celestron’s SkyScout Personal Planetarium, were given out at the IAU General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 11, 2009, where Mike Simmons, Co-Chair of 100 Hours of Astronomy, publicly announced the winners at the 100 Hours of Astronomy Awards and Closing Ceremony. read more »

	Solar Eclipse 2009
	by Dark Matters

What a trip it was - 14 days, meeting many very nice people, both locals and foreigners, visiting Shanghai and 3 provinces, the Synta telescope factory at Suzhou, Purple Mt. Observatory at Nanjing.

And of course, the total solar eclipse!

That part of the adventure began with preparations here in the US, resulting in two complete photo rigs and approximately 20 lbs in photo gear. Everything was packed into one Jetpilot wheely bag of medium size plus a smallish Gregory Advent backpack. I had no troubles with the airline's size and weight restrictions...

« see Eclipse photos | read Blog entry »

NEW ON CELESTRON.COM: Related Products

Earlier this month we have launched a new version of our shopping cart. In addition to being faster and more user friendly, it features a list of products and accessories purchased by other users that bought the item you are looking at.

We hope that this addition will help you quickly locate the products and accessories for your particular application... comment on this »

SPOTLIGHT: Contest Winners "Discovered"

We are extremely proud to congratulate the winners of the "Capture the Universe" astrophotography contest sponsored by CelestronImages.com and Discover Magazine.

By entering this contest, you have shown that you share the same innate desire that drives us at Celestron to develop the tools needed to search, learn and share the world around us – and beyond.

Click here to view our brand new "Contest Winners Hall of Fame".

Phil Plait, the creator of Bad Astronomy.com, who judged the contest, was so impressed by the quality of the contest entries that a total of 11 of the photographs were featured on Discover Magazine's Website

« see Phil's Picks on CelestronImages.com | read Phil's blog entry »

We really hope you've enjoyed reading this newsletter.
Please submit your feedback here:
http://www.celestronlife.com/blogs/entry/2009-Newsletter-Issue-8

Clear Skies!

Celestron Marketing Team

	Event Calendar Starfest 2009 - A Celebration of Astronomy August 20-23 Ontario, Canada Starfest is Canada's largest annual observing conference and star party. It attracts over nine hundred astronomy enthusiasts from Ontario, and neighboring provinces and states. It has been ranked among the top star parties in North America by Sky and Telescope magazine. read more »

Event Recaps
by Kevin Kawai

	SCAE 2009 July 18th Oceanside, California
Here we are again in the middle of summer and for us Californians, July means warm, sunny blue skies, sandy beaches, summer Milky Way and Oceanside Photo and Telescope's Southern California Astronomy Expo (SCAE)! How quickly an entire year has rolled around since the last SCAE 2008! This past Saturday, July 18, 2009, OPT Boss, Craig Weatherwax, hosted the 5th Annual SCAE event and invited down nearly 40 vendors of astronomical related gear to showcase their latest wares to the public. Just a week earlier, OPT held a very successful parking lot swap meet, followed by a film presentation and vendor star party at nearby Palomar College...
« photo GALLERY | read Blog entry »

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