Celestron Launches Official National Park Foundation Product Line to Encourage Americans to Explore the Outdoors

Torrance, CA (August 6, 2014) – Celestron, the world’s #1 telescope maker and a leading sport optics manufacturer, has partnered with the National Park Foundation (NPF), the official charity of America’s national parks, in a long-term sponsorship that includes a line of official licensed telescopes, sport optics and outdoor electronics. Celestron’s support will carry through the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016.

As Americans increasingly spend time indoors, the important work of NPF to encourage families to explore America’s diverse and beautiful national parks is more critical than ever. Celestron is thrilled to lend its support to this worthy cause with a custom range of NPF products tailored to those with an active, outdoor lifestyle.

The lineup features three telescopes, including the Travel Scope 60, which comes trail-ready in its own backpack, and the ExploraScope 60AZ refractor, perfect for solar system observing. Finally, a commemorative NPF FirstScope features a custom wrap with a nighttime scene from Arches National Park in Utah.

Camping enthusiasts will love Celestron’s new NPF outdoor electronics. The 3-in-1 Multifunction Rechargeable Hand Warmer keep hands warm, campsites bright, and personal electronics powered on during outdoor excursions. Even more compact options include the 2-in-1 Power Pack/Hand Warmer or Power Pack/Flashlight. Two lanterns—a water-resistant model and a pocket-sized keychain lantern—keep campers safe in the dark.

Rounding out the line are three rugged binoculars, a 10x25 monocular, and a 50 mm spotting scope kit—all tailored to fit the needs of birders, hikers, and backpackers.

“The national parks are a treasure for American citizens, and for visitors from around the world,” said Ben Hauck, Vice President of Sales at Celestron. “The awe-inspiring majesty of our national parks provides an ideal location to explore and discover the natural world. This passion for discovery and exploration fits perfectly with the ethos at Celestron.”

“Thanks to committed partners like Celestron, we are able to share national park treasures, such as beautiful dark night skies, with more people through the National Park Foundation’s important work,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “With their support, we look forward to realizing some tremendously positive impacts across America’s national parks in the coming years.”

The partnership kicked off this spring with Celestron’s sponsorship of NPF’s 2014 Share the Experience photo contest. This annual contest encourages amateur photographers to explore the nation’s federal lands and share their experiences by capturing and submitting their favorite shots. The prizes for winning photos include outdoor gear provided by Celestron.

The Share the Experience photo contest features a new category this year, Night Skies, presented by Celestron.  Park visitors are invited to submit photos of celestial objects, the Milky Way, and nighttime landscapes taken within America’s national parks and federal recreation lands. Celestron offers a variety of astronomical cameras and photographic accessories for its telescopes to help beginners capture the perfect shot.

Additionally, Celestron was thrilled to join NPF at this year’s Astronomy Festival in Badlands National Park on July 25-27, 2014. With light pollution becoming an increasing problem in America’s urban and suburban areas, events like this encourage stargazers of all skill levels to celebrate the beauty of a dark night sky and the wonder of space exploration. Thousands of park visitors viewed planets, distant galaxies, stellar nurseries, star clusters, and more through Celestron’s world-class telescopes.

For more information on NPF and how to support and protect America’s national parks, please visit www.nationalparks.org.

About the National Park Foundation

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service.  Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards.  Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.

About Celestron

Celestron is a leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality optical products including telescopes, sport optics, microscopes, and outdoor electronics. Since manufacturing its first telescope in 1960, Celestron has grown to become the world's #1 telescope maker, winning multiple awards from many prestigious media outlets and organizations. Among serious amateur astronomers, the name Celestron is synonymous with superior optics and innovative technology. The company has a longstanding track record supporting astronomy- and outdoor-related nonprofits such as the International Dark-Sky Association, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Astronomers Without Borders. Celestron is privately held and operates out of its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Torrance, California.  Learn more about Celestron at Celestron.com.