Celestron Puts Comet Holmes In Focus As It Blazes Across The Night Sky

Celestron NexStar 6 SE, AstroMaster 114 EQ and SkyMaster 25 x 100 Available To Bring Stargazers An Up Close And Personal View Of The Erupting Comet That Has The Astronomy World Abuzz.

Torrance, CA (November 5, 2007) – In a dazzling display of cosmic light, Periodic Comet Holmes (17P/Holmes), a faint comet far from the sun, burst onto the scene, brightening by nearly a million times in just a few hours. The startling outburst has amateur astronomers and backyard stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere up all night as they clamor to catch a rare, unaided glimpse of a visible comet in the night sky.

Adding a colorful sparkle to the Northeastern evening sky, Comet Holmes forms a triangle with two of the brightest stars in the constellation Perseus and should be visible with the naked eye for the next few weeks. A Comet Holmes viewing chart, sky coordinates and information on maximizing the viewing experience are available.

The comet was discovered by amateur astronomer Edwin Holmes, who first documented its eruption 115 years ago in November 1892. Since its discovery, Comet Holmes has periodically flared up, but the recent activity has resulted in a magnitude of brightness unseen in past flare-ups

“What an amazing opportunity to get up close and personal with a cosmic wonder of the night sky. It is absolutely astounding to see, and even more so when using a telescope,” said Joseph A. Lupica Jr., president and CEO of Celestron. “I encourage people of all ages to get into the backyard and catch a glimpse of this truly magnificent sight before it is too late.”

For those seeking to maximize this once in a lifetime opportunity with a closer look at the “eerie orb,” Celestron, a leading manufacturer of high-quality optical products including computerized and non-computerized telescopes and related accessories, suggests the following stargazing equipment:

Celestron NexStar 6 SE
Celestron’s NexStar SE telescopes give users the ability to identify, locate, engage, learn and explore thousands of stars, planets and galaxies at the touch of a button. Loaded with an array of user-friendly features, many of which are found on Celestron’s most advanced computerized telescopes, the NexStar SE family of telescopes (4 SE, 5 SE, 6 SE and 8 SE) combine state-of-the-art features with an easy-to-use interface to give stargazers complete control of the celestial viewing experience, making the innovative telescopes ideal for all amateur astronomers, from seasoned enthusiasts to those just beginning their outer space adventure. In addition, the NexStar SE’s “GO TO” function makes finding Comet Holmes easy by simply inputting the RA and DEC coordinates. 

Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ
An excellent choice for the more serious beginning astronomer, the AstroMaster series non-computerized telescopes are powerful optical instruments that offer mechanical simplicity, rugged reliability and ease of use, delivering bright, clear images of a wide array of objects in the night sky and making astronomy easy and interesting for all. An ideal paring of simple operation and versatility, each AstroMaster model is easy to set up and use without tools, requires little to no maintenance, excellent for both celestial and terrestrial viewing and delivers color corrected, high contrast/good definition, brilliant images of thousands of celestial objects in the night sky.

Celestron SkyMaster 25x100
Celestron’s SkyMaster Series of large aperture binoculars are a phenomenal value for high performance binoculars ideal for astronomical viewing or for terrestrial (land) use - especially over long distances. Each SkyMaster model features high quality BAK-4 prisms and multi-coated optics for enhanced contrast. Celestron has designed and engineered the larger SkyMaster models to meet the special demands of extended astronomical or terrestrial viewing sessions. For maximum stability and secure optical alignment the 100mm SkyMaster model features enhanced structural reinforcement to the main binocular body. As an additional convenience, the 100mm SkyMaster model also includes an integral super rigid photo tripod adapter. The SkyMaster Series binoculars are built to provide years of magnificent views of the world and the heavens above.