Celestron to Provide Google Users With an 'Out of This World' Interactive Journey

Celestron to Provide Google Users With an 'Out of This World' Interactive
Journey
Sky in Google Earth Adds Audio Tours From The Celestron SkyScout Personal
Planetarium's Cosmic Encyclopedia

TORRANCE, Calif., April 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Celestron(R), one of the
world's leading designers and manufacturers of telescopes, binoculars,
spotting scopes, microscopes and related accessories, announced that it will
provide a series of deep space interactive audio tours for use with Sky in
Google Earth. Utilizing the award-winning SkyScout(R) Personal
Planetarium(R)'s technology and knowledge base, Celestron's SkyScout Audio
Tours enable Sky in Google Earth explorers to embark on an interactive cosmic
journey of discovery that includes in-depth information on everything from
constellations to supernova explosions to hundreds of millions of stars.
The Celestron's SkyScout Audio Tours will automatically appear in the Sky
feature in Google Earth. All deep space objects with available SkyScout audio
files will be marked with a Celestron logo. When the user selects the object,
a virtual SkyScout audio player will appear and proceed to play the
information-packed audio file as well as display the corresponding text.
Sky is a feature of the very popular Google Earth application. Sky in
Google Earth allows anyone with a computer to view 3D images of nearly 100
million stars and 200 million galaxies, and with the addition of SkyScout
Audio Tours, users will be guided through an interactive tour of the night sky
that includes detailed information on all of the planets, stars, galaxies,
clusters, nebulae, constellations, and asterisms that make up the universe.
"The SkyScout Audio Tours are designed to give Sky in Google Earth
enthusiasts access to a universe of knowledge and adventure like never
before," said Joseph A. Lupica Jr., president and CEO of Celestron.
"Together, Celestron and Sky in Google Earth transform the night sky into a
personal planetarium, satisfying the natural curiosity to explore new
frontiers, and creating a thirst for knowledge that will inspire the next
generation of explorers and scientists."
In accordance with the partnership announcement, Celestron is offering a
$100.00 rebate to anyone that purchases its award-winning SkyScout Personal
Planetarium between now and June 15th, 2008. Visit http://www.celestron.com
for details.
About Celestron
Celestron is a leading designer, manufacturer and importer of high-quality
optical products including computerized and non-computerized telescopes and
related accessories, binoculars, spotting scopes and microscopes. Since
manufacturing its first telescope in 1960, Celestron has grown to become one
of the world's leading telescope makers, and enjoys brand-name recognition
among serious amateur astronomers for superior optics, outstanding design, and
innovative technology. Celestron's innovative products continue to receive
numerous industry and consumer media accolades, adding to an already
impressive list that includes awards for product innovation from Reader's
Digest, Popular Science, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, the Consumer
Electronics Association and more. Celestron sells and markets its products
worldwide through a variety of specialty retail outlets and international
distributors. Celestron is a privately held company with corporate offices and
manufacturing facilities, in Torrance, CA. For more information about
Celestron please visit http://www.celestron.com.
SOURCE Celestron

Vicki Croucier, Marketing Manager, +1-310-328-9560, ext. 298,
vcroucier@celestron.com, or Michelle Meskill, Asst. Marketing Manager,
+1-310-328-9560, ext. 205, mmeskill@celestron.com, both of Celestron